3v3 Is Not Big Enough for Highguard’s Matches

Highguard launched with almost no fanfare, dropping itself into the crowded hero shooter space. The trailers teased sprawling arenas, complex objectives, and the kind of large-scale battles that could have made it stand out. Yet the moment I actually played, the first shock was the team size. Three versus three. That’s it. For maps that feel like they were built for epic large-scale conflicts, the 3v3 limit hits like a punch to the gut. It immediately undercuts the scale the game is clearly trying to sell, making every match feel small and oddly hollow.

The maps themselves only amplify this mismatch. They are massive, multi-tiered, and layered in ways that scream for coordinated pushes and team strategy. But with only three players on a team, most of the map sits empty during matches, and the potential for strategic play evaporates. The “Raid” mode, in particular, is almost laughable when only 6 players total are spread across arenas that could comfortably host double or triple that number.

Why Highguard’s Maps Demand More Players

Every map in Highguard is designed for big fights, not tiny skirmishes. Sprawling terrain and layered areas scream for more than six players total. Right now, the arenas often feel like oversized backdrops with only a fraction of the action taking place, mostly within the forts themselves. In a match, most of the map is empty. It’s hard to understate how large these maps are. They are Halo-like in size, and with only 6 players on them at any given time, the scale is blatantly wasted.

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The small team sizes also break the pacing and flow of matches. Rotations, map control, and coordinated pushes are all kinds of pointless because there are only three enemies on a map at any given time. Objectives see team conflict over, but that’s only because players are guided to them in order to win matches. They are crucial, but often feel inconsequential due to the size of the match. Highground positions and choke points that were clearly meant to be contested are rarely used effectively. A significant amount of a match, in Highguard, is spent running through empty space, not seeing other players, harvesting resources like its survival game.

Every design decision screams for more players. These maps could easily host large-scale numbers, with coordinated defenses, and tactical maneuvers feel stripped down under the 3v3 limitation. Each arena seems built for strategy and teamwork, but the small teams make it impossible to fully leverage the layouts. The result is a game that could have been thrilling but instead feels underwhelming and oddly empty.

How Bigger Teams Could Unlock Highguard’s Raid Potential

Increasing team sizes would transform the entire experience. With more players per side, matches would actually feel like matches. Objectives would be contested constantly, rotations and flanking maneuvers would matter significantly more. General gameplay would just improve overall because the flow of conflict would make far more sense with more people.

Bigger teams would also add meaningful depth to every match. Maps designed to support sprawling fights would finally be used to their full potential, and players would feel like every move matters. The whole looting aspect of the game is one of the quietest points of a match, and this is due to the lower player counts. With more players, the big maps become more strategic rather than decorative. The “Raid” mode would start to live up to its name, delivering the large-scale clashes it currently fails to provid

Fixing this issue may require the developers to rebalance and rethink the game from the ground up, but it needs to happen. The maps in Highguard are not 3v3 maps, period. Anything less than a significant rework leaves the arenas underused, many locations meaningless, and the “Raid” mode a misnomer. If the developers are serious about delivering on Highguard’s ambitions, expanding team sizes and adjusting the game systems around that scale is not really optional if the game is to succeed. The criticism, the feedback is out there.

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