Sony’s latest release, Concord, has turned out to be a major flop. Released on August 23, 2024, the game got widespread criticism and had a disastrous reception. This has led many to question Sony’s decision-making process.
The game has become a cautionary tale for the industry. From dismal player counts to widespread criticism, nothing seems to be going right for it. And it will undoubtedly cost Sony a lot of money. Sony has remained quiet since the launch but it does beg the question, what will happen to it in the future?
Concord’s Failure is Funny For Us But It Will Cost Sony
The early warning signs were evident even before Concord was officially released. Despite the hype, the game’s open beta phase did not attract the player base Sony might have anticipated.
Hope this is a lesson
— Atikin (@Prof_Atikin) August 28, 2024
The beta’s performance hinted at underlying issues, with dwindling player numbers across both PlayStation and PC platforms. When the full game launched, it peaked at a mere 697 concurrent players on Steam, a paltry number for a title backed by a major publisher like Sony.
Such poor performance is particularly alarming when compared to previous high-profile flops like Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League, which, despite its own struggles, peaked at over 13,000 players on Steam. The early signs for the game were bleak, and the numbers only continued to decline in the days following its release.
Where are people getting that Sony spent $100 million on Firewalk or $100m was spent on development?
byu/DapDaGenius inConcordGame
Everyone from players to critics has cited several reasons for the game’s lackluster reception. The characters were widely perceived as bland and uninspired, a critical flaw for a hero shooter in a market.
Especially with the dominance of titles like Apex Legends and Overwatch 2, which you could definitely argue have more diverse and engaging characters in terms of gameplay and design
Where Does The Game Even Go From Here?
Perhaps the most glaring issue with Concord was its price point. At $40, the game was simply too expensive for what it offered, especially when many of its competitors in the hero shooter genre are free-to-play.
Hopefully Concord’s inevitable failure will make Sony rethink how it approaches MP games.
byu/-MERC-SG-17 inConcordGame
Sony’s handling of the game’s failure has been particularly troubling. Despite the game’s poor performance, there has been little communication from Sony regarding its future.
For Firewalk Studios, the future is uncertain. The studio was acquired by Sony last year, but with this disastrous launch, its prospects look grim. Especially given the previous layoffs within Sony’s gaming division. The recent layoffs at Bungie, another Sony-owned studio, only add to the uncertainty.
Here's your problem. That makes too much sense! Joke aside, this might actually push them enough to finally green-light a port
— DLibryum (@DLibryum) August 28, 2024
The series of events that have led to this failure is proof of the difficulty in finding success in the live service genre. Sony’s decision to green-light Concord, despite its apparent lack of market appeal, is about to result in a significant financial loss.
While Sony has had successes with other titles like Helldivers 2 and Stellar Blade this year, this failure serves as a sobering lesson in the importance of market research, innovation, and pricing strategy.
What do you think of the whole situation around Concord? Let us know in the comments!
