Firewalk Studios' Concord: A Short-Lived Hero Shooter
Firewalk Studios' ambitious 5v5 hero shooter, Concord, met an abrupt end just two weeks after its launch. The game, despite eight years of development, failed to capture the anticipated player base, leading to the shutdown of its servers on September 6th, 2024. Game Director Ryan Ellis attributed the closure to the game's inability to meet expectations, acknowledging that while some aspects resonated with players, the overall launch fell short. Full refunds were issued to digital purchasers on Steam, Epic Games Store, and the PlayStation Store.
High hopes preceded Concord's release. Sony's acquisition of Firewalk Studios, driven by confidence in the studio's potential, hinted at a promising future. Plans included an ambitious post-launch roadmap with a planned first season and weekly cutscenes, even featuring in the upcoming Prime Video series, Secret Level. However, these plans were scrapped due to the game's poor performance, resulting in only three cutscenes being released.
The game's downfall stemmed from a combination of factors. Despite solid gameplay mechanics, Concord failed to differentiate itself from established competitors like Overwatch, offering little incentive for players to switch. Uninspired character designs and a high price point of $40 further hampered its appeal, particularly against popular free-to-play alternatives. A lack of marketing also contributed significantly to its low player count, peaking at a mere 697 concurrent players.
Analyst Daniel Ahmad highlighted the game's lack of innovation and its "OW1 era" aesthetic as key weaknesses. The absence of a compelling reason for players to choose Concord over established free-to-play titles proved fatal.
While a future for Concord remains uncertain, the possibility of a revival isn't entirely ruled out. The success story of Gigantic, a MOBA hero shooter that successfully relaunched after a significant period, offers a glimmer of hope. However, simply making Concord free-to-play might not suffice. A more substantial overhaul, addressing the core issues of bland character designs and uninspired gameplay, would likely be necessary for a successful relaunch. Game8's review, awarding Concord a mere 56 out of 100, summarized the situation perfectly: a visually appealing but ultimately lifeless game.
