Concord will forever be remembered as one of the biggest gaming fumbles in PlayStation history. 8 years of hard work by the developers of Firewalk Studios has been thrown under the drain after the multiplayer game failed to meet expectations despite having veterans at the helm and a cross-platform release between the PlayStation 5 and PC player bases. The publisher ultimately decided it was best to pull the plug two weeks after launch and save the company from further embarrassment.
The gaming industry can be cut-throat, and not everything will pan out as developers anticipated. This will be charged to experience and become a cautionary tale of how to avoid a dumpster fire of a game in 2024.
The Game Director of Concord Has a Lot to Answer for After His Vision Went Down in the Flames
Despite having the backing of one of the major competitors in the video game industry, Firewalk Studios’ project never stood a chance. The active daily player count for a benchmark tool is significantly higher than people playing Concord on Steam, and that speaks volumes about how little the gaming community is interested in another online multiplayer hero-shooter.
After a lackluster number in sales and a poor public reception from the gaming community, Sony concluded that it was best to shut down all servers two weeks after the game went live. The gaming community is looking back at the original statement by Game Director Ryan Ellis years ago about why Firewalk Studios decided to pursue an online multiplayer game.
Our Game Director, Ryan Ellis, on why we chose to work on a multiplayer game. pic.twitter.com/px9J6meRXw
— Firewalk (@FirewalkStudios) June 28, 2021
Ellis saw the potential of developing an online multiplayer game that could have lasted years. The live service structure is a dangerous formula that could set back a studio if the final product is not well-received by the fans which is unfortunately what happened to Concord after a lackluster beta phase.
Aged like milk.
— Hop (@OldManHop) September 4, 2024
Fans are baffled about the decision-making process of greenlighting a risky project instead of supporting more popular franchises like The Last of Us Online which could have carried over gameplay elements of the mainline series and Marvel’s Spider-Man: The Great Web, both were canceled after rumors surfaced about poor chances of longevity and internal politics leaving the gaming community upset about something that could have been a great online experience.
Firewalk Studios greatly overestimated the game’s chances of survival amidst an oversaturated gaming industry with competitive multiplayer shooters. Other games have already provided the experience Ellis had in mind, and unfortunately, the development took too long, and other developers have already beaten them to it.
Online Multiplayer Games Was Never Sony’s Strongest Suit, Anyway
Launching a game that was already dead in the water was not the first great attempt for Firewalk Studios. Perhaps this should give Sony enough reason to abandon its ambition to delve deeper into the online multiplayer arena and focus on its strengths.
PlayStation admitted that the game did not land the developers intended and viewed the situation practically. Despite the mess, some players found things to behold in the game; unfortunately, the mass majority could not see the potential or prospect of spending countless hours in this game.
Hopefully, the developers of Firewalk Studios will not be discouraged by this failure and work on something far more appealing in the future. Perhaps Concord will be used as a stepping stone to strive towards greater opportunity.
Sony will shut down all servers on September 6th and refund players who purchased on either PlayStation 5 or PC. Until then, players can experience 8 years of hard work before it is taken forever.
What are your thoughts about Concord? Let us know in the comments section below!
