Summary
Concordwas a pretty huge disaster for bothPlayStationand developer Firewalk Studios. After failing to make a splash and draw in players upon launch,with the game regularly falling to double-digit player counts on Steam, the game wasalmost immediately pulled from both PlayStation and PC storefronts, with all paying customers issued automatic refunds.
That much of a disaster would be tough for any studio to come out unscathed, and rumors were circling about Firewalk bracing for potential layoffs as a result of Concord’s failure. However, it seems as though Sony has taken even more drastic actions than that, and has now decided to shut down Firewalk Studios completely, first reported by Bloomberg’s Jason Schreier.
Schreier announced that Firewalk was being shut downvia his Twitter account earlier today, which was very quickly followed up byan official announcement from PlayStation Studios. In the statement, PlayStation revealed that it is indeed closing Firewalk Studios, but it has also announced that Concord itself has been sunset permanently, meaning the game will not return to storefronts and will pretty much cease to exist.
Sony Will Continue Its Live Service Push, Despite Concord Failure
Interestingly, it also appears as though PlayStation hasn’t been put off continuing its live service endeavors despite such a high-profile failure. Later in the company’s statement, it acknowledges that the first-person shooter is “a competitive space”, and that Concord didn’t hit or draw in the players that it wanted. However, PlayStation says it will take the lessons it learned from Concord going forward with other live service projects.
We will take the lessons learned from Concord and continue to advance our live service capabilities to deliver future growth in this area.
As for the people at Firewalk affected by the shutdown, PlayStation doesn’t mention how many are now out of a job, but has promised that it will “work to find placement” for them across other studios under its umbrella. PlayStation also thanks those who worked at Firewalk for their “craftsmanship, creative spirit and dedication”.
Concord
WHERE TO PLAY
Concord is an upcoming FPS from Firewalk Studios, part of the PlayStation Studios family. A PvP multiplayer title, it is slated for launch on both PS5 and PC in 2024.
