Concord's Brief Existence Surpassed Only

Concord's launch was met with underwhelming reception, resulting in a rapid server shutdown. Let's delve into the reasons behind the game's premature demise.

Firewalk Studios' Hero Shooter Concord Fails to Take Flight, Servers Offline After Two Weeks

Lack of Hype Leads to Quick Closure

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 the game's failure to meet expectations.

Ellis stated that while certain aspects resonated with players, the overall launch fell short of their goals. Consequently, the servers were taken offline on September 6th, 2024. Digital purchases on Steam, Epic Games Store, and PlayStation Store will receive automatic refunds; physical copies should be returned according to the retailer's policy.

Initially, Firewalk and Sony envisioned a much larger future for Concord. The acquisition of Firewalk Studios, based on Sony's belief 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 an episode in the Prime Video anthology series, Secret Level. An ambitious post-launch plan, including a season one launch in October and weekly cutscenes, was also outlined.

However, the game's poor performance necessitated a drastic change of course. Only three cutscenes were released—two from the beta and one shortly before the announcement—leaving the future of the characters' story uncertain.

What Led to Concord's Demise?

Concord's performance declined from the outset. Despite an eight-year development period, the game failed to attract a substantial player base, peaking at only 697 concurrent players. At the time of writing, the player count is a mere 45 (excluding PlayStation 5 users). This is a stark contrast 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 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 He criticized the uninspired character designs and noted the game felt outdated, stuck in the Overwatch 1 era.

The $40 price tag 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 interest is unsurprising.

Ellis's statement suggests Firewalk Studios will explore new avenues to reach players, leaving the possibility of a future return open. The revival of Gigantic, a MOBA hero shooter, demonstrates that discontinued games can find new life.

While some propose a free-to-play model, similar to Foamstars, this alone wouldn't address the core issues of bland character designs and sluggish gameplay. A complete overhaul, akin to the successful redesign of Final Fantasy XIV, is likely needed for a potential resurgence.

Game8 awarded Concord a 56/100, highlighting the irony of eight years of development resulting in a visually appealing but ultimately lifeless game. For a more detailed critique, read our full review (link provided, if applicable).