Despite its swift demise, Sony's hero shooter, Concord, continues to receive updates on Steam weeks after its removal from digital stores. This unexpected activity has sparked considerable speculation among gamers.
Concord's Post-Launch SteamDB Updates Fuel Speculation
Free-to-Play Relaunch or Gameplay Overhaul? Theories Abound
Recall Concord, the hero shooter whose launch was less than stellar? While officially unavailable since September 6th, its Steam page shows a surprising number of updates.
Since September 29th, SteamDB lists over 20 updates attributed to accounts like "pmtest," "sonyqae," and "sonyqae_shipping." These account names suggest the updates are likely backend fixes and improvements, with "QAE" possibly referring to "Quality Assurance Engineer."
Concord's August launch, priced at $40, aimed to compete with free-to-play giants like Overwatch, Valorant, and Apex Legends. The result? A resounding failure. Sony pulled the game within two weeks, issuing refunds. Low player numbers and overwhelmingly negative reviews sealed its fate.
Why the continued updates for a seemingly dead game? Ryan Ellis, former Firewalk Studios Game Director, hinted at exploring options to better reach players in the shutdown announcement. This, coupled with the ongoing updates, fuels speculation of a potential relaunch—possibly as a free-to-play title. This would address a key criticism of the original release: its price point.
Sony's substantial investment (reportedly up to $400 million) makes attempts to salvage the project understandable. The updates suggest Firewalk Studios may be overhauling the game, adding new features, and addressing criticisms regarding character design and gameplay.
However, Sony remains silent on Concord's future. Will it return with improved mechanics, broader appeal, or a revised monetization strategy? Only Firewalk Studios and Sony know for sure. Even a free-to-play relaunch faces an uphill battle in a saturated market.
Currently, Concord is unavailable, and Sony offers no official statements. Whether it rises from the ashes remains uncertain, but the ongoing updates keep the possibility alive.
