Highguard reportedly didn't even have to pay for their seat at The Game Awards

High Guardian was the last game revealed at the 2025 Game Awards, but if the new report is true, the game's developers didn't pay for its spot on the show. Not many updates since this was the last announcement of the evening High Guardian not at all, but the developers potentially not paying for his place at The Game Awards add an interesting new layer to the story.

When host Geoff Keighley teased High Guardian revealing that it was developed by the team that previously worked on it Titanfall and Apex Legendssome viewers immediately assumed the game would be some sort of spiritual successor Titanfallbut it was not so. High Guardian is a free-to-play hero shooter and that surprised a lot of people. The game's location at the awards has fueled speculation that the developer, Wildlight Entertainment, had to pay a fortune for the coveted spot, but may have secured it completely for free.

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According to Industry Insider, Highguard ended up not paying for its gaming awards venue

This was claimed by reporter Paul Tassi on Twitter High Guardian didn't have to pay for his seat at The Game Awards. It's important to note that this news comes from a simple tweet and does not reveal Paul's source. So, as compelling as the claim is, it should be taken with a grain of salt until confirmed. Regardless, it's bound to fan the flames High Guardian controversy even more. The latest announcement at the Game Awards is one of the industry's most sought-after marketing slots, and it's traditionally from a major AAA developer with a big IP to reveal or offer an update. For example, Naughty Dog surprised players with an announcement Intergalactic: The Heretical Prophet at a ceremony in 2024. When High Guardian was revealed to be the big game that will end the 2025 awards, many viewers were confused.

Since its revelation, Highguard has been silent

To make the story even more exciting, High GuardianThe release date is less than two weeks away with no further updates. All the information that has been given is via the one trailer that was presented at the Game Awards. This raised many questions about whether or not the game would actually launch on time. Also, there are already plenty of theories as to why High Guardian she was allegedly able to secure such an important place for free. One prevailing theory doing the rounds is that Geoff Keighley simply loved the game so much that he offered the last seat. Further speculation on Twitter pointed to the possibility that another game may have been put together and the developer had to cancel at the last minute, causing Keighley to offer it High Guardian. Until Keighley or Wildlight Entertainment come out and say something, there's really no way to know for sure.

So far, whether High Guardian whether or not he got his spot on awarding free games remains a mystery. The backlash the game received painted the title in a negative light, but its upcoming release will hopefully allow it to prove people wrong. Many big gaming prizes have been announced in 2025, but High Guardian unexpectedly became a title that sparked many discussions. The ongoing conversation about the heroic shooter may be divisive, but its place on The Game Awards lineup certainly caught people's attention. With its release date around the corner, it will be fascinating to see what High Guardian is all about.