Concord's launch was met with underwhelming reception, leading to a rapid server shutdown. This article explores the reasons behind the game's premature demise.

Firewalk Studios' Hero Shooter, Concord, Grounds to a Halt Weeks After Release

Lack of Hype Signals the Game's Demise

Firewalk Studios' 5v5 hero shooter, Concord, is ceasing operations a mere two weeks post-launch. 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 player resonance with certain aspects but conceded that overall launch performance fell short of goals. Servers were taken offline on September 6th, 2024. Digital purchases on Steam, Epic Games Store, and PlayStation Store will receive automatic refunds; physical copies require retailer returns.

Initial indications suggested greater ambitions for Concord from Firewalk and Sony. Sony's acquisition of Firewalk, based on confidence 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 Prime Video anthology series, Secret Level. An ambitious post-launch roadmap, including a season one launch in October and weekly cutscenes, was initially planned.

However, poor performance necessitated a drastic revision of these plans. Only three cutscenes were released—two from the beta and one shortly before the shutdown announcement—leaving the future of the planned narrative uncertain.

Concord's Downfall: A Multifaceted Problem

Concord's decline was evident from the outset. Despite an eight-year development period, player interest remained significantly low. Concurrent player counts struggled to reach even a thousand, peaking at a mere 697. At the time of writing, the online player count is a meager 45 (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 mechanics and "content completeness" but noted a lack of differentiation from existing hero shooters, offering insufficient incentive for players to switch. He criticized the uninspired character designs and stated the game felt outdated, stuck in the Overwatch 1 era.

The $40 price point 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 indicated Firewalk Studios will explore future options, potentially aiming for broader player reach. A revival remains possible. The successful relaunch of Gigantic, transitioning from a live-service to a buy-to-play model after a six-year hiatus, demonstrates that discontinued games can be resurrected.

While a free-to-play model (similar to Foamstars) has been suggested, this alone wouldn't address the core issues of bland character design and sluggish gameplay. A comprehensive overhaul, akin to the successful Final Fantasy XIV redesign, is arguably necessary for a potential comeback.

Game8's 56/100 review described Concord as "tragic," highlighting its visually appealing yet lifeless gameplay. For a detailed analysis, refer to our full review.