Concord's Life Cut Short, Outliving Rarest Monarch

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

Firewalk Studios' Hero Shooter, Concord, Grounds to a Halt Two Weeks Post-Launch

Lack of Hype Leads to Game's Demise

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, attributing the decision to the game's failure to meet expectations. The statement acknowledged positive player feedback in some areas but cited 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 copies should be returned according to retailer policies.

Firewalk and Sony's ambitions for Concord were evident from the outset. Sony's acquisition of Firewalk, based on their belief in the studio's potential, appeared promising, especially considering positive comments from Ellis and Firewalk's studio head, Tony Hsu. Concord was even slated for inclusion in the upcoming Prime Video anthology series, Secret Level. 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 shift in plans. Only three cutscenes were released—two from the beta and one shortly before the shutdown announcement—leaving the future of the planned storyline 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 game's performance pales in comparison to its beta peak of 2,388 players, falling far short of expectations for a Sony-published AAA title.

Several factors contributed to Concord's downfall. Analyst Daniel Ahmad noted strong gameplay mechanics but 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 He criticized the uninspired character designs and the game's feeling of being outdated ("stuck in the OW1 era").

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

Ellis stated that Firewalk Studios will explore options to better reach players, leaving the possibility of a future return open. The revival of Gigantic demonstrates that game relaunches are possible. However, simply making Concord free-to-play might not solve its core problems: uninspired character designs and sluggish gameplay. A comprehensive overhaul, similar to the successful Final Fantasy XIV redesign, might be necessary.

Game8's 56/100 review described Concord as "visually appealing, yet lifeless," highlighting the unfortunate outcome of eight years of development. A full review is available for further reading.