Concord May Be Gone, But Not Forgotten

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, Grounds to a Halt Weeks After Release

Lack of Hype Leads to Game's Demise

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 positive player feedback in some areas but admitted shortcomings in others. Servers went offline on September 6th, 2024.

The announcement included details on automatic refunds for digital purchases (Steam, Epic Games Store, PlayStation Store), while physical copy owners were advised to contact their retailers for returns.

Firewalk and Sony's ambitions for Concord were evident from the outset. Sony's acquisition of Firewalk, based on confidence in the studio's potential, initially 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 1 launch in October and weekly cutscenes, was also 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). The future of the planned storyline remains uncertain.

Factors Contributing to Concord's Failure

Concord's performance was weak from the start. Despite an eight-year development period, 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 numbers pale in comparison to the beta's 2,388 concurrent players. This underperformance is surprising for a Sony-published AAA title.

Several factors contributed to Concord's downfall. 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 He noted uninspired character designs and a failure to stand out from competitors, appearing outdated.

The $40 price point also placed Concord at a disadvantage against popular free-to-play rivals like Marvel Rivals, Apex Legends, and Valorant. Minimal marketing further exacerbated the problem.

Ellis' statement indicated Firewalk will explore options to better connect with players, leaving the possibility of a future return open. The revival of Gigantic, a MOBA hero shooter, demonstrates that discontinued games can be resurrected.

While some suggest a free-to-play model (similar to Foamstars), this alone may not resolve Concord's fundamental issues: uninspired character designs and sluggish gameplay. A comprehensive overhaul, akin to the successful Final Fantasy XIV redesign, might be necessary for a successful relaunch.

Game8's 56/100 review described Concord as "visually appealing, yet lifeless," highlighting the disparity between its visual quality and gameplay. For a more detailed perspective, read our full review.