Sony shuts down shooter game Concord after just 2 weeks
In a stunning move, Sony pull the plug about his long-in-development shooter Concord, just two weeks after its release and after a disaster of a launch.
Concord, which launched on August 23 for PC and PlayStation 5, will go offline on September 6, according to Concord Game Director Ryan Ellis said in a Sony PlayStation blog postThe game was developed over a period of approximately eight years by Bellevue, Washington-based Firewalk StudiosSales of the game have stopped and those who purchased the game through services such as PlayStation Store, Steam, and Epic Games Store should be able to expect refunds soon.
“While many qualities of the experience resonated with players, we also recognize that other aspects of the game and our initial launch did not resonate as we intended,” Ellis wrote in the blog post. “As a result, we’ve made the decision to take the game offline as of September 6, 2024, and explore options, including options that better reach our players.”
The post doesn’t indicate whether that means there are plans for a re-release of the game at some point in the future. Sony did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Ellis continued: “While we determine the best path forward, we are immediately halting sales of Concord and offering a full refund to all gamers who purchased the game for PS5 or PC.”
Those who purchased a physical copy of the game are encouraged to return it to the retailer. Returning the game means that players will no longer have access to the title before it is discontinued.
While Sony and Firewalk have never publicly disclosed how much the game cost to develop, some estimates range from $100 million up to $200 millionwhat Sony has reportedly spent on some of its big-budget first-party games.
When Concord was launched, the small number of players in the game suggested very low sales in the title’s early days, and players had trouble finding matchesa sign that the live service was not well attended.
Concord also faced stiff competition in its short existence. Not only was the $40 game being compared to free-to-play hero shooters like Overwatch 2 and Apex Legends, but it also debuted on the same day as Black Myth: Wukong and a week before Star Wars: Outlaws.
