Concord Was Short-Lived, But Not The Shortest-Lived

Concord's launch was underwhelming, resulting 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 Two Weeks Post-Launch

Lack of Hype Leads to Closure

Firewalk Studios' 5v5 hero shooter, Concord, is ceasing operations just two weeks after its release. Game Director Ryan Ellis announced the closure on September 3rd, 2024, via the PlayStation Blog, citing unmet expectations. The statement acknowledged positive player feedback in some areas but admitted shortcomings in other aspects of the game and its launch. Servers went offline on September 6th, 2024. Digital purchases on Steam, Epic Games Store, and the PlayStation Store will receive automatic refunds. Physical copy owners should contact their retailer for returns.

Firewalk and Sony's ambitions for Concord were evident. Sony's acquisition of Firewalk, based on their perceived potential, seemed promising, especially with positive statements from Ellis and Firewalk's studio head, Tony Hsu. Concord was even slated for inclusion in the Prime Video anthology series, Secret Level. An ambitious post-launch roadmap, including a season one launch in October and weekly cutscenes, was initially planned. 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.

Concord's Downfall: A Multifaceted Problem

Concord's performance was weak from the outset. Despite an eight-year development period, player interest remained low, peaking at only 697 concurrent players. Current player counts are significantly lower. These numbers exclude PlayStation 5 players, but even considering them, the performance pales in comparison to the beta's 2,388 concurrent players. This fell far short of expectations for a Sony-published AAA title.

Several factors contributed to Concord's failure. Analyst Daniel Ahmad highlighted strong gameplay mechanics and complete content but pointed out a lack of differentiation from existing hero shooters, offering little incentive for players to switch. He criticized the uninspired character designs and the game's resemblance to older titles. The $40 price point also placed it at a disadvantage against popular free-to-play competitors like Marvel Rivals, Apex Legends, and Valorant. Minimal marketing further exacerbated the situation.

Ellis' statement suggests Firewalk Studios will explore options to better reach players, leaving the possibility of a future return open. The revival of Gigantic demonstrates that game revivals are possible. However, simply making Concord free-to-play, as suggested by some, might not address the core issues of bland character design and sluggish gameplay. A complete overhaul, similar to the successful Final Fantasy XIV redesign, might be necessary.

Game8's 56/100 review described the game as "visually appealing, yet lifeless," highlighting the unfortunate outcome of eight years of development. For a more in-depth analysis, see our full review (link to review).