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 Weeks After Launch

A Lack of Buzz Leads to Closure

Firewalk Studios' 5v5 hero shooter, Concord, is ceasing operations a mere two weeks post-launch. Game Director Ryan Ellis announced the closure on September 3rd, 2024, via the PlayStation Blog, citing unmet expectations.

Ellis stated that while some aspects resonated with players, the overall launch fell short of their goals. Consequently, servers were taken offline on September 6th, 2024. Digital purchases on Steam, Epic Games Store, and the PlayStation Store will receive automatic refunds; physical copies require adherence to retailer return policies.

Firewalk and Sony's ambitions for Concord were evident from the outset. Sony's acquisition of Firewalk, driven by confidence in the studio's potential, appeared promising, especially considering positive feedback 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 also 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—leaving the future of the planned narrative uncertain.

The Factors Contributing to Concord's Demise

Concord's decline was evident from the start. Despite an eight-year development period, player interest remained minimal, peaking at a mere 697 concurrent players. Current player numbers are significantly lower. These figures exclude PlayStation 5 users; however, even considering this, the performance pales in comparison to the beta's 2,388 concurrent players, falling far short of expectations for a Sony-published AAA title.

Several factors contributed to Concord's failure. Analyst Daniel Ahmad pointed out that while the gameplay was solid and the content complete, the game lacked differentiation from existing hero shooters, offering little incentive for players to switch. He cited uninspired character designs and a gameplay style reminiscent of older titles as key shortcomings.

The $40 price point also placed Concord at a disadvantage against popular free-to-play competitors like Marvel Rivals, Apex Legends, and Valorant. Coupled with minimal marketing, the lack of player adoption is unsurprising.

Ellis indicated that Firewalk Studios will explore new avenues to reach players, leaving the possibility of a future return open. The revival of Gigantic demonstrates that game revivals are possible. However, simply shifting to a free-to-play model, as suggested by some and exemplified by Foamstars, may not resolve the underlying issues of bland character design and sluggish gameplay. A more substantial overhaul, akin to the successful revamp of Final Fantasy XIV, might be necessary.

Game8's 56/100 review highlighted the irony of eight years of development culminating in a visually appealing yet ultimately lifeless game. For a more detailed perspective, see our full review.