Key things
- Concord has received a backend update every day for 11 days in a row.
- Speculation suggests that Concord will return as a free-to-play title.
- Concord faced many challenges.
Concord has been updated in the backend for 11 days in a row according to SteamDB data. We don't know the specifics of these updates, but it's proof that Sony and Firewalk Studios aren't completely abandoning their very expensive failed live service project.
The community speculated that Concord could return as a free-to-play title with cosmetic microtransactions in the hopes that some development costs could be recouped for the small core fanbase. It certainly wouldn't be the first twist in gaming history, but it would be one of the most unlikely. Concord debuted without fanfare and ultimately failed to capture the attention of players, but perhaps its cult status as a very expensive flop could help it gain more attention after the relaunch.
Concord has been updated for 11 days in a row
After all, the Concorde's problem was never that it seemed unfinished or technically deficient; the problem was that Concord is a paid live-service hero shooter developed by an unknown studio not attached to a popular IP and launched in a market that is becoming increasingly hostile to live-service titles. Success was not impossible, but not likely either.
Concord's critical reception wasn't bad either, with plenty of reviewers agreeing that the basic gunplay was very satisfying, but with the caveat that it was all too reminiscent of existing hero shooters. Our Sam Hallahan said in his 3/5 review that Concord “struggled to stand out in a crowded hero shooter market.”
One of the weirdest consequences of Concorde's massive marketing spend is that we're getting an episode of the upcoming Secret Level anthology series set in the Concorde universe. Concord joins the likes of Pac-Man, Unreal Tournament, and Armored Core in the animated anthology adaptation. Tragically, the number of people who will watch this episode of Secret Level may be more than the number of people who played Concord.
It seems likely that Concord won't be completely abandoned, and only time will tell how Sony and Firewalk try to turn things around. Concord is not yet available to play on any platform.
Concord is an upcoming FPS from Firewalk Studios, part of the PlayStation Studios family. A multiplayer PvP title, it's slated for release on PS5 and PC in 2024.
