Sony's Flop, Concord, Still Updated on Steam

Concord, Sony's much-discussed hero-shooter, surprisingly continues to receive updates on Steam despite being pulled from stores just weeks after its launch. Dive in to explore these updates and the swirling speculations around them.

Concord SteamDB Updates Spark Speculations

Will Concord Go Free-to-Play? Enhance Gameplay? Speculations Abound

Remember Concord? The hero-shooter that launched to a lukewarm reception? Despite being officially offline since September 6th, Concord’s Steam page has been quietly receiving regular updates.

Since September 29, SteamDB has tracked over 20 updates for Concord. These updates were pushed by accounts such as "pmtest," "sonyqae," and "sonyqae_shipping." The names suggest these might be focused on backend improvements and fixes, with "QAE" likely standing for "Quality Assurance Engineer."

When Concord debuted in August this year, it aimed to make waves in the hero shooter arena with a $40 price tag—a bold move in a market dominated by free-to-play giants like Overwatch, Valorant, and Apex Legends. Unfortunately, the launch fell flat. Just two weeks after its release, Sony pulled the game and issued refunds to all players. The player base was tiny, and interest quickly waned. The game was widely considered a flop, with dismal ratings across the board.

So, why is a game that failed so spectacularly still receiving updates? In the game's shutdown announcement, Ryan Ellis, then-Firewalk Studios Game Director, hinted at exploring options "to better reach our players." This has sparked speculation among gamers that Concord might be gearing up for a comeback. Many believe the updates signal a potential relaunch, possibly as a free-to-play title, which would eliminate the entry fee that many criticized.

Despite its rocky start, Sony has invested a hefty sum into the game—reportedly up to $400 million—so it’s not surprising they might try to salvage their investment. With ongoing updates, some speculate that Firewalk Studios is using this time to revamp the game, perhaps introducing new features and tackling the original criticisms, such as lackluster characters and uninspired gameplay.

Of course, nothing has been confirmed yet. Sony has remained silent on its plans for Concord. Could it return with enhanced mechanics, a wider appeal, or a different monetization model? Only those at Firewalk Studios and Sony have the answers right now. Yet, even if Concord relaunches as free-to-play, it will face fierce competition in an already saturated genre.

For now, Concord remains off the market, and Sony has made no official announcements regarding its future. Only time will reveal if these speculations bear fruit or if Concord can rise from the ashes of its initial failure.