The first of two planned beta tests for Sony’s competitive hero shooter, Concord, is now live. This initial test is exclusive to pre-order customers and PlayStation Plus subscribers, available on both PS5 and PC. The next beta phase, scheduled for July 18-21, will be open to everyone.
You’ll need to set up a PSN account from the start—Sony has learned from past mistakes. However, after that hurdle, Concord runs smoothly even on an older RTX 2070 Super.
I had the chance to preview Concord at an earlier event, but only on console. Now, playing on PC with a mouse and keyboard has made a noticeable difference, even if it hasn’t turned me into an FPS god against the PlayStation players—at least I’m not running into walls anymore.
The development team at Firewalk Studios, many of whom are ex-Bungie, aim to balance skillful shooting with tactical gameplay and team coordination. It’s too early to judge if they’ve succeeded, but the 16 characters offer diverse and interesting abilities. Adapting to a new hero shooter can be tricky: one moment you’re excelling with a standard soldier, and the next, you’re figuring out how to use Fungus Man and his mysterious spores.
The story cutscenes in Concord can feel a bit overly sentimental, but setting that aside, the presentation is solid. My only significant gripe with the UI is the match scoreboard—it’s challenging to quickly see how you’re performing compared to your teammates, which is why we check it mid-match. Other than that, the flat reds and oranges paired with wailing synths create a strong visual and auditory experience. The game draws inspiration from the ’70s without becoming too kitschy.
Initial feedback from the community seems positive. The subreddit, naturally inclined to be supportive, has posts like “Welp, this game is tight as f***.” Of course, detractors will likely voice their opinions soon, and significant discussions are expected over the weekend.
While I wouldn’t suggest pre-ordering Concord to access this beta, especially with the open beta next week, I’m having a good time. If you know someone participating in this beta, remind them to share one of the four codes they received.
