Concord's launch was underwhelming, resulting in a rapid server shutdown. This article delves into the reasons behind the game's closure.
Firewalk Studios' Hero Shooter Concord Fails to Take Flight, Servers Offline After Two Weeks
Lack of Hype Leads to Game's Demise
Firewalk Studios' 5v5 hero shooter, Concord, is shutting down just two weeks after its release. 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 went offline on September 6th, 2024. Digital purchases on Steam, Epic Games Store, and PlayStation Store will receive automatic refunds. Physical copy owners should contact their retailer for returns.
Firewalk and Sony clearly envisioned a more successful future for Concord. Sony's acquisition of Firewalk, based on their perceived potential, seemed promising, especially considering positive comments 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, poor performance necessitated a drastic change of plans. Only three cutscenes were released (two from beta, one pre-announcement), leaving the characters' future uncertain.
Concord's Downfall: A Multifaceted Issue
Concord's decline was evident from the start. Despite eight years of development, player interest remained low, peaking at only 697 concurrent players. Currently, the player count is significantly lower. While PlayStation 5 player numbers are unavailable, the game's performance pales in comparison to its beta peak of 2,388 players—a stark contrast to 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 noted 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 placed it at a disadvantage against popular free-to-play competitors like Marvel Rivals, Apex Legends, and Valorant. Coupled with minimal marketing, the lack of sales is unsurprising.
Ellis' statement suggests Firewalk will explore options to better reach players, leaving the possibility of a future return open. The revival of Gigantic, transitioning from live-service to buy-to-play, demonstrates that game revivals are possible.
While some propose a free-to-play model (similar to Foamstars), this alone won't address the core issues of bland character design and sluggish gameplay. A complete overhaul, akin to Final Fantasy XIV's successful redesign, is likely necessary.
Game8's 56/100 review described Concord as "visually appealing, yet lifeless," highlighting the unfortunate outcome of eight years of development. For a more detailed analysis, read our full review.
