Highguard launched on January 26, 2026, with huge curiosity — but also rapidly mounting criticism over pacing, performance, and game design. The free‑to‑play PvP “raid shooter” pulled nearly 98,000 concurrent players on Steam at launch, yet ended the first day with “Mostly Negative” reviews from thousands of players.
If you’ve jumped in and felt like matches drag, fights are sparse, or your FPS isn’t stable, you’re not imagining it — and you’re definitely not alone. This post breaks down why Highguard can feel slow, what’s causing it, and how to improve your experience — both technically and strategically.
๐ Why Highguard Feels Slow: What Players Are Saying
Players across Steam and Reddit have converged on a few key complaints that explain the perception of slowness at launch:
๐ง 1. Map Size vs Team Count
Many players say that large maps paired with 3v3 combat leave huge gaps between meaningful engagements, especially during early looting phases.
“The map is huge but only 3 players per team — most of your time is spent running or riding with little action.” — Community sentiment from launch reviews.
This results in long stretches of movement and looting before the first major clash, which feels slow compared to tighter arena shooters.
⚙️ 2. Performance & Optimization Complaints
At launch, Highguard has been criticized for poor performance on both high‑end and mid‑range PCs. Several players report low or inconsistent FPS, blurry visuals, or lag even when hardware should handle the game smoothly — especially compared with other competitive shooters.
๐ 3. Game Design Choices
Highguard isn’t a run‑and‑gun shooter like Apex Legends. Its three‑phase raid loop includes:
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A methodical looting phase,
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A strategic battle for the Shieldbreaker,
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A tactical raid on the enemy base.
This pacing is intended to build tension — but many players feel it results in long downtimes between direct combat.
๐ ️ How to Fix the Technical Sluggishness
Let’s start with things you can control — the technical side.
✅ 1. Update Your Drivers
Ensure your GPU drivers are the latest available using:
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Nvidia GeForce Experience
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AMD Adrenalin
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Intel Arc Control
Outdated drivers often cause poor FPS and stuttering.
✅ 2. Enable Necessary System Settings (PC Only)
Highguard requires Secure Boot, TPM 2.0, and Easy Anti‑Cheat to run, which blocks older systems and Linux entirely.
Make sure:
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Secure Boot is enabled in BIOS
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TPM 2.0 is active
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You’re running Windows 11
This won’t make the game faster by itself, but it prevents launch errors and performance degradation tied to anti‑cheat systems.
๐ฎ 3. Adjust In‑Game Graphics Settings
To boost responsiveness:
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Lower shadows, anti‑aliasing, and post‑processing
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Reduce resolution scale
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Turn off motion blur (especially on console)
Many players find frame rates jump noticeably just by attacking the most expensive settings first.
๐ถ Solving Network & Connection “Slowness”
Network issues can feel like lag or input delay, which players sometimes interpret as the game itself being slow.
๐ข Use a Wired Connection
Ethernet beats Wi‑Fi for stability and fewer packet losses.
⚙️ Free Up Bandwidth
Pause downloads, streams, and background apps while playing.
๐ถ Check Server Status
Launch‑day server queues and disconnects are common for popular titles. If in‑game latency spikes, it might be the servers, not your hardware.
๐ง Adapting to Highguard’s Deliberate Game Design
Some aspects of “slowness” are intentional — a consequence of Highguard’s strategic pacing.
๐ 1. Master Mount Usage
Mounts aren’t just transportation:
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They help you reach loot quickly
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Provide escape opportunities
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Enable better positioning during the Shieldbreaker clash
Use them wisely instead of treating them as optional.
๐บ️ 2. Learn Map Flow & Loot Priority
In a large map with only 3 players per team:
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Plan looting routes with your squad
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Focus on high‑tier gear first
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Don’t scatter; coordinated looting speeds up progression
๐ 3. Communicate Constantly
With only 6 players in a match, teamwork matters more:
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Ping key loot locations
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Call out enemy sightings
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Sync shieldbreaker routes
Good coordination makes the pacing feel less slow and more purposeful.
๐ What the Community Really Thinks
Players are divided — some see potential, others call it mediocre or boring. Common themes from recent community discussions include:
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Map size feels too big for 3v3 combat (lots of travel time)
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Technical and performance issues are widespread
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Some players believe the core raiding mechanic is fun once you get there
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Console players mention missing graphics and quality‑of‑life settings like FOV sliders
Contrast this with a minority of early players who praise the loot progression and raid phase as unique and rewarding.
๐ง Final Verdict: Is Highguard Slow or Just Different?
Yes — Highguard can feel slow, and the reasons are both technical and design‑related. At launch, the combination of performance issues, large maps with small squads, and a pacing that favors strategy over nonstop firefights means matches feel slower than traditional shooters.
But if you apply optimization tweaks and adjust your mindset to embrace the phase‑based pacing and teamwork, the intentional rhythm can become part of the strategic appeal rather than a flaw.
Whether Highguard ultimately feels slow to you depends on your preferences:
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Competitive shooters? Might seem too methodical.
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Strategy/raid fans? Might appreciate the build‑up and payoff.
๐ Quick Takeaways
✔ Technical performance can be improved with driver updates, graphics settings tweaks, and meeting system requirements.
✔ Network stability matters — consider wired connections and bandwidth prioritization.
✔ Looped pacing is part of the design — learn to optimize your loop rather than fight it.
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