PlayStation announced that it will withdraw Concord from all the stores and will refund those who bought it. The company did not wait any longer and decided to cut the problem short. The game had been on the market for less than two weeks, but it failed to get the numbers Sony was hoping for.
In an entry published on the PlayStation BlogFirewalk Studios thanks the users of Concord and says they’ve listened to feedback since launch. Game Director Ryan Ellis said that while some qualities resonated with players, they’re aware that the initial launch wasn’t what they thought.
“At this time, we have decided Disconnect the game from September 6, 2024“Ellis said. “While we determine the best path forward, sales of Concord will cease immediately and we will begin offering full refunds to all players who purchased the game on PS5 or PC.”
PlayStation confirmed that will issue a direct refund to those who purchased the game on PSN or PlayStation Direct. In the case of Steam, Valve will send an email confirmation to users once the refund is processed. Epic Games will follow Valve’s lead and refund players in the coming days.
The decision to shut down the game and issue refunds means that Users will no longer have access to ConcordSince this is an online game that relies on servers, those with a physical copy won’t have many options, so Sony is urging them to request a refund as soon as possible.
The death of Concord was imminent, although we never thought that Sony would kill it just two weeks after landing on the market. The game’s page no longer exists on the PlayStation website.
Why did it fail? Concord?
The failure of Concord is a combination of several factors. Firewalk Studios’ game began development in 2016just when Overwatch burst onto the scene. The popularity of the hero shooters It remained in fashion for a few years, but the fad passed before it Concord could be completed.
The Northstar crew knows how to bring the fight while still looking good.
Show us what new skins you've unlocked for the Freegunners! #ConcordLaunch pic.twitter.com/pr9tZDEeMP
— Concord (@PlayConcord) August 24, 2024
Another point that played against the game was the price and the poor marketing strategy. Sony decided that Concord It would cost 40 dollarsa questionable decision considering that most online games are free to play. In addition, the company didn’t offer it as a PlayStation Plus game at launchsomething that would have helped build a player base.
According to Mat Piscatella, analyst at Circana, Sony did not do enough to generate the necessary momentum that these games require. Instead of promoting it on the channels necessary to build an audience, Sony limited itself to promoting it in a few retail stores, the PSN, and through a disastrous trailer at the State of Play. The result: less than 25,000 copies sold on PS5 and PC.
The closure of Concord It could be temporaryThe game’s director said they will explore other options, “including those that better resonate with players.” Firewalk Studios and PlayStation are likely to make adjustments to make it free-to-play, or sell the license to a third party to make it.
While that day arrives, the death of Concord and the fiasco of Suicide Squad will become a reference for those looking to pursue the trendy genre.
