Following criticism by Internet users on social media due to the low number of players on Steam (with a peak of 697 players at launch), Concord will be completed by its publisher, Sony Interactive Entertainment. In a message posted by Sony on its blog, it has been announced that the game’s servers will be closed on September 6th, in just a few days, and only 15 days after its release. Comments on the post have been disabled, suggesting that Sony anticipates further criticism resulting from this decision. While Sony cannot be faulted for discontinuing support for the game, one can empathize with the distress this must cause for the development team at Firewalk Studios.
Although numerous aspects of this experience resonated with players, it is also necessary to acknowledge that other elements, including our launch, did not receive the reception we had hoped for. Consequently, we have decided to shut down the servers starting September 6th and will explore alternative options to better connect with our players.
Is this a sign of a subsequent return with a new free-to-play formula? Nothing is impossible, but it is worth noting that Concord is among Sony’s biggest flops despite the company investing over $200 million in the project. The development studio dedicated eight years to the game, equal to Red Dead Redemption 2’s development time. Communication around the title was quite timid and delayed, particularly considering its release between two video game giants: Black Myth Wukong and Star Wars Outlaws. The timing is admittedly poor, not forgetting that the games-as-a-service sector seems to be slowing down (remember the commercial flop of Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League). Helldivers is a counterexample, but Sony Interactive Entertainment was significantly smarter with its marketing campaign.
