Sony’s Swift Pull: The Rise and Fall of Concord’s Multiplayer Ambition
In an unexpected turn of events, Sony has abruptly pulled the plug on its latest online multiplayer shooter, Concord, just two weeks following its much-anticipated launch. The title, which was released exclusively for PlayStation 5 and PC on August 23rd, has reportedly struggled to capture the attention of the gaming community, leading to its sudden withdrawal from digital storefronts.
In an official statement published on Sony’s blog, Ryan Ellis, the game director at Firewalk Studios, revealed that Concord would be taken offline as of September 6th. Ellis acknowledged the difficulties faced during the game’s launch and assured those who purchased the £40 title that they would receive a full refund. The decision to remove the game so quickly after its release is a significant move, reflecting the challenges of launching a new IP in the highly competitive multiplayer market.
Concord was envisioned as a hero shooter, a genre made popular by heavyweights like Overwatch and Valorant. In this game, players are divided into teams, each comprising unique characters endowed with special abilities. These teams then engage in intense battles, whether in classic deathmatches or in objective-based modes that require strategic control of certain areas within the game’s arena.
The development of Concord was no small feat—it spanned over eight years, during which Firewalk Studios aimed to create a standout multiplayer experience that could rival the giants of the industry. However, despite the prolonged development period, the game’s reception was lukewarm. Critics praised its impressive graphics and competent gameplay mechanics but were quick to point out that it failed to introduce anything groundbreaking or refreshingly new to the genre.
The lukewarm response is further underscored by data from SteamDB, a platform that tracks game engagement on PC. At its peak, Concord managed to attract only 660 concurrent players—a stark contrast to the millions of players that titles like Counter-Strike 2 continue to draw. Since its release in August 2022, Counter-Strike 2 has consistently boasted over 1 million players, highlighting the tough competition Concord faced in trying to establish itself within the multiplayer arena.
In his candid blog post, Ellis reflected on the lessons learned from the game’s initial reception. “While many facets of the experience resonated with our audience, we acknowledge that other elements of the game and our initial launch didn’t hit the mark as we envisioned,” Ellis stated. He also expressed gratitude to the players who supported the game during its brief availability, emphasizing the importance of the passionate community that had begun to form around Concord. According to Ellis, this community’s feedback has been invaluable, providing insights that the team at Firewalk Studios will use to “determine the best path ahead” for the game.
The decision to take the game offline is seen as a strategic move that will allow the developers to regroup and explore new directions that may better align with player expectations. The live-service gaming model, in which games are continuously updated with new content to keep players engaged, has proven to be a lucrative yet challenging endeavor. Sony has been investing heavily in this area, recognizing the potential for sustained revenue streams from well-maintained multiplayer titles.
Earlier this year, Sony saw significant success with the release of Helldivers 2, another multiplayer title that managed to sell over 12 million copies across PlayStation 5 and PC platforms. The game’s success is a testament to Sony’s ability to capture the multiplayer market when the formula is right. However, Concord did not share the same fate. Despite a detailed reveal during Sony’s State of Play broadcast in May, the game failed to generate the level of enthusiasm and interest that Helldivers 2 enjoyed. Many industry analysts had already predicted that Concord would struggle to find its footing in the crowded multiplayer landscape.
The live-service market is notoriously difficult to break into, with long-standing titles like Minecraft, Roblox, and League of Legends continuing to dominate the charts. According to data from US analytics firm Newzoo, these games, despite being years old, consistently rank among the most-played titles globally. This dominance makes it increasingly challenging for new entrants like Concord to carve out a space for themselves.
The struggles faced by Concord are not unique. Earlier this year, Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League, a high-profile release from Warner Bros., also failed to meet player expectations, despite its extensive marketing campaign and the anticipation surrounding its launch. The game’s underwhelming performance further highlights the unpredictability of the multiplayer market and the difficulty of launching a successful new IP.
As Sony and Firewalk Studios contemplate the future of Concord, the broader industry will be watching closely. The decision to pull the game so soon after launch underscores the high stakes involved in the live-service gaming space, where player engagement is paramount, and missteps can be costly. Whether Concord will make a comeback in a reimagined form remains to be seen, but for now, its story serves as a cautionary tale of the challenges that come with trying to establish a new multiplayer franchise in an already saturated market.
