This game marked the beginning of the State of Play event on May 31, 2024. Concord is primarily a new title from Firewalk Studios, which was acquired by Sony in April 2023 and tasked with developing live-service games for its team of 150 employees. While these types of games may not appeal to PlayStation’s core fanbase who prefer standalone narrative experiences, the significant success of Helldivers 2 demonstrates that well-designed games-as-a-service can be highly successful. Concord is a competitive first-person shooter played in 5v5 teams and set in a fantastical universe that evokes the ambiance of Guardians of the Galaxy and shares gameplay and visual elements with Overwatch. The game is notably colorful, with each character appearing to be the result of extensive brainstorming to cater to a wide range of player preferences.
The game Concord promises a more narrative-oriented approach to the online multiplayer genre as players will assume the roles of mercenaries known across the galaxy as Freegunners. These mercenaries travel through space by accepting high-risk jobs in the outer worlds while competing against other Freegunner teams. The initial release is expected to feature 16 Freegunners. Concord is scheduled for launch on August 23, 2024, for PS5 and PC, with a beta version planned for this summer to allow players to test the game before its official release. Sony has stated that a PSN account will be necessary for playing on PC, while a PlayStation Plus subscription will be required for PS5 users, indicating that Concord is not free-to-play but follows a similar business model to Helldivers 2.
