Highguard 5v5 mode is the first big swing from Wildlight after a rocky debut on Steam. The free-to-play PvP raid shooter launched on PC and consoles with 3v3 raids, huge maps, and performance problems that dragged its rating down to “mostly negative” before recovering to “mixed.” Four days after launch, the team pushed an experimental 5v5 Raid playlist live for the first weekend, complete with 10 lives per team, longer respawns, and a new Soul Well base in rotation. This guide breaks down what the update changes, how matches feel now, and whether it solves the emptiness players reported in 3v3 raids.
| Feature | 3v3 Raid (Standard) | 5v5 Raid (New Event) |
|---|---|---|
| Total Players | 6 (3 per team) | 10 (5 per team) |
| Team Lives | 6 Lives | 10 Lives |
| Respawns | Standard Speed | Extended Time |
| Party Size | Up to 3 Players | Up to 5 Players |
| Status | Always Active | Limited Weekend |
Highguard 5v5 mode patch: what actually changed
Highguard launched with nearly 100,000 concurrent Steam players but was hit by a wave of negative user reviews focused on performance and 3v3 pacing. In response, Wildlight pushed the January 30 patch, billed as one of two launch-week updates, which added the experimental Highguard 5v5 mode, a new base called Soul Well, and further optimizations alongside new video settings. The 5v5 Raid playlist runs only for the first weekend and sits next to the original 3v3 queues instead of replacing them, with lobbies updated to support parties of five so full stacks can jump straight into the test.
Under the new rules, each raid team gets 10 lives instead of 6, and respawns are slightly longer so pushes around generators and the anchor stone feel more decisive. Soul Well joins the existing selection of strongholds as a darker, more compact base layout that both attackers and defenders can roll into their rotation. If you want a broader look at input and performance tweaks beyond this single patch, it is worth pairing this with a general Highguard settings hub that covers controller, mouse, and PC performance tuning in more detail.
How Highguard 5v5 mode changes raid pacing
The biggest shift with Highguard 5v5 mode is how often you bump into enemies during rotations and resource runs. On launch, players criticised the large maps for feeling too empty in 3v3, even with mounts speeding up travel and the central Shieldbreaker objective forcing movement. With ten players on the field, skirmishes break out more often near Shieldbreaker spawns, mid-lane chokes, and key harvesting routes, so there is less dead air between fights if both squads stay active.
Highguard just launch 5v5 experimental mode
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Longer respawns and extra lives also matter more than they look on paper. You can commit harder to multi-wave pushes on a base, eat a wipe or two learning a new layout like Soul Well, and still have enough attempts left to crack the generators before the match drags out. Defenders get real windows to stabilise after multi-kill holds, so coordinated anchor stone pushes feel earned instead of pure rush trades.
Should I play 5v5 instead of 3v3?
If you felt the maps were too quiet in 3v3 and regularly sat in empty lanes, 5v5 is the better pick while it is live.
Does 5v5 fix the resource-gathering phase?
Not entirely; the mining and early loot phases are still in place, though more players nearby means more chances to contest routes and cut off farming squads.
Early player reception to Highguard 5v5 mode
Highguard’s launch ratings on Steam slid into “mostly negative” off the back of performance issues, anti-cheat complaints, and frustration with 3v3 raids on big maps, though they have since climbed toward “mixed.” Community reactions to Highguard 5v5 mode across Reddit and social posts are more split, with regulars noting that it immediately makes matches feel busier and better suited to the map scale. Players who already liked the core gunplay and mounted traversal often describe the new playlist as closer to what they expected for a raid shooter with this kind of base design.
[Highguard] 5v5 and Performance Patch! And a New Base!
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There are still concerns around stability when you add four more players to a match, something Wildlight acknowledged in patch notes by warning that 5v5 will not magically fix framerate for everyone. Feedback also notes that the resource phase can still drag, and that the limited event timing puts pressure on people to test the mode quickly instead of learning it at a relaxed pace. Even so, the fast turnaround from launch to 5v5 shows the studio is reacting to map-size feedback rather than sitting on it.
Why are Steam reviews still mixed?
Many early reviews were written during the worst performance window, and those ratings still weigh down the current average despite patches.
Is 5v5 permanent in Highguard?
For now, Highguard 5v5 mode is an experimental weekend playlist, and Wildlight has not confirmed it as a permanent queue yet.
How to get the most from Highguard 5v5 mode
If you are queueing into Highguard 5v5 mode, build your squad around two clear jobs: base pressure and map control. In practice that means running at least one Warden focused on raid tools and entry utility, one with strong mid-range shooting for rotations, and one flex slot that can swap to defence-heavy picks if you struggle to hold Soul Well or other bases. The last two slots can mirror that structure or lean into more aggressive picks if your team prefers constant pushes.
On PC and consoles, communication makes a huge difference because the longer respawns punish staggered deaths. Call out when you are about to commit a Shieldbreaker run, when you spot mining routes you can cut off, and when generators drop low so your team knows whether to fully reset or invest another set of lives. If you are using mixed input lobbies, point newer players toward a broader Highguard guide hub that covers sensitivity, FOV, and console aim assist tuning so they can keep up.
Player Insight
Across a night of solo and five-stack games, squads that played tight around Shieldbreaker and rotated as a group closed out raids in two to three pushes, while teams that trickled in rarely broke more than one generator before running out of lives. Treat each life pool as three serious pushes and track it in voice chat; it will keep your aggression measured and your raids more successful.
