The developer of a multiplayer shooter given top billing at The Game Awards has laid off multiple staff members just two weeks after its release.
Highguard was first revealed at December's ceremony in the end-of-show preview slot traditionally reserved for the biggest upcoming releases.
Despite being made by a team of games industry veterans who worked on successful titles such as Call of Duty, Apex Legends and Titanfall, the free-to-play game struggled to retain players since it launched in January.
In a statement, developer Wildlight Entertainment confirmed it had "made an incredibly difficult decision to part ways with a number of our team members".
Highguard's "world premiere" at The Game Awards received a muted reaction, with many fans confused by its prominence in the show.
