Highguard’s 5v5 mode is so good that it should become a permanent mode

On Friday, Highguard developer Wildlight Entertainment unveiled an “experimental” new 5v5 mode, describing it as a “limited-time” addition to the game. After taking part in a few matches, I can’t get enough. 5v5 needs to be a permanent game mode.

When I first took Highguard out for a spin in its standard 3v3 mode, I came away with two main conclusions: The mounts are a lot of fun, but the game itself unfortunately isn’t.

I couldn’t quite put my finger on what was missing at first, but after checking out 5v5, I’ve realized the missing ingredient is action. More players in a match means more action on the map. 3v3 matches are too quiet, too slow, and drag on far too long for my tastes. I prefer the unmitigated chaos of Apex Legends, and while I know the two are very different games, I still expected Highguard to share enough of Apex‘s frenetic DNA to be exciting. 3v3 mode just feels too sleepy for me, but 5v5 solves almost every problem I had with Highguard at launch.

With 10 players running around in each match, there’s always something going on, and a group of that size fills out the game’s sprawling raid maps a lot better than six players do. 5v5 keeps things small enough that you can still hear enemies who might be attempting to sneak up behind you, but keeps the action flowing, with fewer awkward silences and post-kill moments of “So… what are we doing now?” The goal is always to kill whoever’s getting too close to the base (or the player wielding the Shieldbreaker), and with more players on the map, it’s far easier to do just that.

Surprisingly, I found that a bigger squad made it easier to strategize with my teammates. In 3v3, I frequently watched teammates wander off on their own and get killed with no backup around to respawn them, and often found myself dragging the Shieldbreaker over to the enemy base alone, sans any cover from teammates. But with five players, there’s a much higher chance that someone will be close enough to back you up in a fight, or at least run over and respawn you before the enemy destroys your Soul Orb and sends you back to your base.

If you’re a fan of Highguard‘s 3v3 mode, then 5v5 may not be for you. But for anyone who finds 3v3 a bit snoozeworthy, I recommend giving 5v5 a try — while it’s available. As of this writing, it’s still part of the game, but it is planned as a limited-time event. Polygon has reached out to Wildlight representatives about the studio’s long-term plans for the mode, including how long it could stick around, and if (or when) it’ll come back.