Concord's underwhelming launch resulted in a rapid server shutdown. This article delves into the reasons behind the game's premature demise.

Firewalk Studios' Hero Shooter, Concord, Grounds to a Halt Weeks After Debut

Lack of Hype Leads to Game's Demise

Firewalk Studios' 5v5 hero shooter, Concord, is ceasing operations just two weeks post-launch. Game Director Ryan Ellis announced the closure on September 3rd, 2024, via the PlayStation Blog, citing unmet expectations. The game, despite some positive player feedback on certain aspects, failed to achieve its projected success. Servers went offline on September 6th, 2024. Digital purchases on Steam, Epic Games Store, and PlayStation Store will receive automatic refunds; physical copies require retailer returns.

Firewalk Studios and Sony's ambitions for Concord were evident from the outset. Sony's acquisition of Firewalk, fueled by belief in the studio's potential, seemed promising, especially with positive comments from Ellis and Firewalk's studio head, Tony Hsu. The game was even slated for inclusion in the Prime Video anthology series, Secret Level. An ambitious post-launch plan, including a season one launch in October and weekly cutscenes, was also outlined.

However, the game's poor performance necessitated a drastic revision of these plans. Only three cutscenes were released – two from the beta and one shortly before the shutdown announcement. The future of the planned storyline remains uncertain.

Factors Contributing to Concord's Failure

Concord's decline was evident from the start. Despite an eight-year development cycle, player interest remained low, peaking at only 697 concurrent players. Current player counts are significantly lower. These figures exclude PlayStation 5 users, but even considering them, the performance pales in comparison to the beta's 2,388 concurrent players. This is far below expectations for a Sony-published AAA title.

Several factors contributed to Concord's failure. Analyst Daniel Ahmad noted strong gameplay mechanics but a lack of differentiation from existing hero shooters. The character designs were deemed uninspired, leaving the game feeling outdated. Its $40 price point also placed it at a disadvantage against free-to-play competitors like Marvel Rivals, Apex Legends, and Valorant. Minimal marketing further hampered its success.

Ellis stated that Firewalk Studios will explore future options to better engage players. A revival remains a possibility, as demonstrated by the successful relaunch of Gigantic. However, simply making Concord free-to-play, as suggested by some, may not resolve the core issues of bland character designs and uninspired gameplay. A more comprehensive overhaul, similar to the successful Final Fantasy XIV redesign, might be necessary.

Game8's review (56/100) described Concord as a visually appealing but ultimately lifeless game, highlighting the tragic outcome of eight years of development. For a complete review, see the link below.