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

Concord's launch was underwhelming, resulting in a rapid server shutdown. This article explores the reasons behind the game's premature demise.

Firewalk Studios' Hero Shooter, Concord, Grounds After Two Weeks

Lack of Hype Leads to Closure

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 statement acknowledged player resonance with certain aspects but admitted shortcomings in others. 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 and Sony's ambitions for Concord were evident. Sony's acquisition of Firewalk, based on their perceived potential, seemed promising, especially with positive comments from Ellis and Firewalk's studio head, Tony Hsu. Concord was even slated for inclusion in Prime Video's "Secret Level" anthology. An ambitious post-launch roadmap, including a Season 1 launch in October and weekly cutscenes, was initially planned. However, the game's poor performance necessitated a drastic revision. Only three cutscenes were released—two from the beta and one shortly before the announcement—leaving the future of the planned storyline uncertain.

Concord's Downfall: A Multifaceted Issue

Concord's decline was evident from the outset. Despite an eight-year development, player interest remained minimal. Concurrent player counts struggled to reach 1,000, peaking at just 697. At the time of writing, only 45 players were online (excluding PlayStation 5 users). This starkly contrasts with the beta's peak of 2,388 players, falling far short of expectations for a Sony-published AAA title.

Several factors contributed to Concord's failure. Analyst Daniel Ahmad highlighted strong gameplay but a lack of differentiation from existing hero shooters. He cited uninspired character designs and a failure to stand out from the competition, describing it as "stuck in the OW1 era." The $40 price point also disadvantaged it against free-to-play competitors like Marvel Rivals, Apex Legends, and Valorant. Minimal marketing further exacerbated the problem.

Ellis' statement suggests Firewalk will explore options to better reach players, leaving the possibility of a future return open. The revival of Gigantic demonstrates the potential for comeback. However, simply making Concord free-to-play, as suggested by some, might not address fundamental issues like bland character designs and sluggish gameplay. A comprehensive overhaul, similar to Final Fantasy XIV's successful redesign, might be necessary.

Game8's 56/100 review described Concord as "visually appealing, yet lifeless," highlighting the tragedy of eight years of development culminating in such a result. For a detailed review, please see the link below.