Highguard Studio Was Backed By Tencent, Reports Say

Here is a 184-word summary of the news article: Reports indicate that the studio behind the game Highguard, Wildlight Entertainment, was backed by Chinese tech giant Tencent. While Wildlight described itself as a "fully-funded" studio, the team never disclosed the source of its funding. The Game Business and Game File now report that Tencent, through its TiMi division, was the "lead financial backer" of Wildlight. The connection to Tencent has raised questions, as Tencent executive Steven Ma sits on the advisory board of The Game Awards, which prominently featured Highguard. However, Tencent's investment in Wildlight does not necessarily mean they had influence over the studio's operations. Highguard's launch was tumultuous, receiving mixed reviews and leading to layoffs at Wildlight shortly after. The future of the game remains uncertain, with the official website currently offline. A former Wildlight developer described high morale before the game's poorly-received reveal, suggesting the studio faced significant challenges post-launch. The specifics of Tencent's funding deal with Wildlight remain unclear.