Firewalk Studios' Concord: A Short-Lived Hero Shooter
Concord, Firewalk Studios' 5v5 hero shooter, met an abrupt end just two weeks after its launch. The game's failure to meet expectations led to the immediate shutdown of its servers on September 6th, 2024, as announced by Game Director Ryan Ellis. While some aspects resonated with players, the overall launch fell short of the studio's goals, resulting in full digital refunds for players on Steam, Epic Games Store, and PlayStation Store.
The closure is a significant setback, considering Sony's acquisition of Firewalk Studios based on their perceived potential. Ambitious plans, including a planned first season and weekly cutscenes, were ultimately scrapped due to poor performance. Only three cutscenes were released before the shutdown.
The Reasons Behind Concord's Failure
Despite an eight-year development cycle, Concord struggled to attract players, peaking at only 697 concurrent players. This pales in comparison to its beta peak of 2,388. Industry analyst Daniel Ahmad points to several factors: a lack of innovation and uninspired character designs, leaving it feeling outdated compared to competitors. The $40 price tag also put it at a disadvantage against free-to-play rivals, compounded by minimal marketing.
The Future of Concord?
Firewalk Studios plans to explore future options, leaving open the possibility of a return. The success of Gigantic's revival, after switching to a buy-to-play model, offers a potential roadmap. However, simply making Concord free-to-play wouldn't address its fundamental issues of uninspired character design and less-than-stellar gameplay. A significant overhaul might be necessary for a successful relaunch. Game8's review scored the game a 56/100, highlighting its visual appeal but criticizing its lifeless gameplay.
