Concord, Sony's Major Flop, Continues to Get Updates on Steam

Despite its swift demise, Concord, Sony's ill-fated hero shooter, continues to receive updates on Steam. This unexpected activity has sparked considerable speculation among gamers. Let's delve into the ongoing updates and the theories surrounding them.

Concord's SteamDB Updates Fuel Speculation: Free-to-Play Resurgence?

Remember Concord? The hero shooter that fizzled out almost immediately after its release? Despite being officially delisted on September 6th, its Steam page shows a steady stream of updates.

Since September 29th, SteamDB has logged over 20 updates attributed to accounts like "pmtest," "sonyqae," and "sonyqae_shipping." These account names suggest the updates might focus on backend improvements and bug fixes, with "QAE" possibly indicating "Quality Assurance Engineer."

Concord's August launch was a significant misstep. Priced at $40, it faced stiff competition from established free-to-play giants like Overwatch, Valorant, and Apex Legends. The launch was widely considered a failure, leading to Sony pulling the game and issuing refunds within two weeks. Poor player numbers and overwhelmingly negative reviews sealed its fate.

The continued updates are puzzling. However, Ryan Ellis, the former Firewalk Studios Game Director, hinted at exploring alternative strategies in the game's shutdown announcement, including methods to better reach players. This has fueled speculation about a potential relaunch, possibly as a free-to-play title. This would address a major criticism of the original release: its price point.

Sony's substantial investment—reportedly up to $400 million—makes an attempt to salvage the project understandable. The updates suggest Firewalk Studios may be revamping the game, adding features, and addressing earlier criticisms, such as lackluster characters and uninspired gameplay.

While unconfirmed, Sony's silence on Concord's future is notable. The possibility of a return with improved mechanics, broader appeal, or a different monetization model remains open. However, even a free-to-play model would face a challenging market.

Currently, Concord is unavailable for purchase, and Sony has yet to make an official announcement. The future of Concord remains uncertain, leaving gamers to wonder if it will ever rise from the ashes of its initial failure.