Wildlight Entertainment has rolled out Update 1.004 for Highguard, delivering an experimental 5v5 Raid Mode, a new base called Soul Well, and a set of performance and quality-of-life changes for PC and consoles. The update is live now as version 1.004.000 on console, with the same content available on PC.
Summary
Update 1.004 expands Highguard beyond its core 3v3 structure with a limited, experimental 5v5 raid playlist. Alongside the new mode, the patch adds a fresh base to rotation, introduces performance optimizations, and unlocks additional graphics options on both console and PC.
What’s new in Update 1.004
- Experimental 5v5 Raid Mode available as a separate playlist
- New base: Soul Well
- Performance optimizations across animation, projectiles, and rendering systems
- New visual settings, including motion blur and anisotropic material toggles
5v5 Raid Mode
The headline addition in Update 1.004 is an experimental 5v5 Raid Mode. It exists as its own playlist and does not replace the existing 3v3 raids, which remain fully available. To support the larger team size, lobbies now allow parties of up to five players while the mode is active.
Gameplay parameters have been adjusted to account for the expanded teams. Raids now use a 10-life pool instead of six, and respawn timers are slightly longer to give more room for planting and defusing objectives. The Firing Range does not currently support 5v5, meaning parties larger than three cannot queue into it.
New base and gameplay additions
Update 1.004 adds Soul Well, a new base construct that joins the existing rotation in both 3v3 and 5v5 modes. The base introduces a darker visual tone and a new layout, providing another environment for raid encounters without changing the underlying objectives or rules.
Performance and console changes
The patch includes a round of optimizations targeting animation performance, projectile behavior, draw submission times, and related gameplay systems. These changes apply to both console and PC, though actual framerate gains will vary by hardware configuration.
Several new graphics options are now available. Players on all platforms can toggle motion blur, while console users also gain control over anisotropic materials, a setting previously limited to PC. These additions are designed to give players more flexibility in balancing image quality and performance.
What this update signals
With Update 1.004, Highguard takes its first step toward experimenting with larger-scale competitive play while continuing to refine its technical foundation. The separation of 5v5 into an experimental playlist keeps the core experience intact, while the added base and settings updates focus on stability and player control rather than sweeping mechanical changes.
