Concord, Sony's ill-fated hero shooter, continues to receive updates on Steam despite its swift removal from digital stores weeks after launch. This unexpected activity has sparked considerable speculation within the gaming community.

Concord's SteamDB Updates Fuel Speculation

Free-to-Play Resurgence or Gameplay Overhaul? Theories Abound

Remember Concord? The hero shooter that launched with less fanfare than a whisper? Despite its official demise on September 6th, its Steam page shows a surprising level of ongoing activity.

Since September 29th, SteamDB has logged over 20 updates for Concord, pushed by accounts like "pmtest," "sonyqae," and "sonyqae_shipping." These account names suggest the updates may focus on backend improvements and quality assurance ("QAE" potentially stands for Quality Assurance Engineer).

Concord's August launch aimed to disrupt the hero shooter market with a $40 price tag—a bold move against free-to-play giants like Overwatch, Valorant, and Apex Legends. The launch, however, was disastrous. Within two weeks, Sony pulled the game and issued refunds, citing minimal player base and overwhelmingly negative reception. The game was widely considered a failure.

So why the continued updates for a seemingly dead game? Ryan Ellis, then-Game Director at Firewalk Studios, hinted at exploring alternative options to better reach players in the game's shutdown announcement. This, coupled with the ongoing updates, fuels speculation of a potential relaunch, possibly as a free-to-play title. This would address the criticism surrounding its initial paid model.

Given Sony's reported investment of up to $400 million in Concord, attempts to salvage the project are understandable. The updates suggest Firewalk Studios might be using this time to revamp the game, potentially adding new features and addressing criticisms of lackluster characters and uninspired gameplay.

While unconfirmed, Sony remains silent on Concord's future. Could it return with improved mechanics, wider appeal, or a new monetization strategy? Only Firewalk Studios and Sony know for sure. Even as a free-to-play title, Concord would face a challenging uphill battle in a saturated market.

Currently, Concord remains unavailable for purchase, and Sony hasn't offered any official announcements. Only time will reveal if these speculations hold any truth, or if Concord will ever truly rise from the ashes.