PlayStation and Firewalk Studios’ Hero Shooter Concord Shut Down After Less Than a Month
Concord, the 5v5 hero shooter developed by Firewalk Studios and backed by PlayStation, has officially met its end. On September 6, less than two weeks after its August 23 release, the game’s online servers were shut down, effectively marking the end of Concord‘s short-lived run.
The decision to take Concord offline came after the developers admitted that certain aspects of the game “did not land as we’d intended.” This led to the announcement on September 3 that Concord would be removed from digital stores, including the PlayStation Store, Epic Games Store, and Steam, as Firewalk Studios and PlayStation prepared to issue refunds to players. The official shutdown date was set for September 6—the same day that PlayStation and Team Asobi launched their highly anticipated platformer Astro Bot for PlayStation 5.
A Swift Decline
Despite launching as a high-profile title, Concord struggled to find a foothold in the crowded hero shooter market. The game is estimated to have sold just 25,000 copies across PlayStation 5 and PC, and player counts on Steam were particularly low. These numbers led to significant matchmaking delays and created an overall sense of disinterest in the game. Within two weeks of release, the developers decided that the game’s poor reception warranted its immediate shutdown.
The official Twitter account for Concord confirmed the server closure with a brief statement thanking players for their support. Though some fans expressed disappointment, many in the gaming community reacted with indifference or even relief, as the game had failed to meet their expectations.
Refunds and Possible Future for Concord
PlayStation and Firewalk Studios are in the process of issuing refunds to those who purchased Concord, and refunds will continue to be accepted in the coming days. While the game’s servers are offline and it’s no longer available for purchase, the developers haven’t entirely ruled out a potential return. Firewalk Studios has indicated that they are “exploring options” for Concord‘s future, possibly as a free-to-play title. However, no concrete plans have been confirmed as of yet.
In a small silver lining for fans of the game’s universe, Concord will be featured in an upcoming episode of Amazon’s series Secret Level. The episode is still planned to be part of the show’s 15-episode season, though a release date has not been announced.
Concerns for Firewalk Studios’ Future
The sudden demise of Concord has led to concerns about the future of Firewalk Studios, particularly in light of the gaming industry’s recent trend of layoffs and restructuring. While the future remains uncertain, PlayStation and Firewalk Studios’ acknowledgment of Concord‘s failure suggests that both parties are reevaluating their strategy moving forward.
Bright Spot for PlayStation: Astro Bot’s Launch
Although Concord‘s shutdown left a void for some, it wasn’t all bad news for PlayStation fans. The day of the server closure coincided with the release of Astro Bot, Team Asobi’s new platformer for the PlayStation 5. Astro Bot is already generating buzz as one of PlayStation’s standout titles of the year, offering a much-needed win for the platform following Concord‘s early demise.
While Concord’s journey may have ended abruptly, PlayStation’s broader portfolio of games continues to move forward, with hopes that future projects will fare better than this ill-fated hero shooter.
