Sony takes new game offline two weeks after the release
Sony has announced the removal of its online shooter *Concord* from sale just two weeks after its launch. Released exclusively for PlayStation 5 and PC on August 23rd, the multiplayer game reportedly struggled to attract a significant player base. In a blog post on Sony's website, Firewalk Studios' game director, Ryan Ellis, confirmed that the game would be taken offline starting September 6th. Ellis also stated that anyone who purchased the £40 game would receive a full refund as the team works to "determine the best path forward" for its potential return.
*Concord* is a hero shooter that shares similarities with popular titles like *Overwatch* and *Valorant*. In the game, players form teams composed of characters with unique abilities, competing in modes such as traditional deathmatches or objectives that involve capturing or controlling areas of the arena.
Reportedly in development for eight years, *Concord* was Sony's latest attempt to capture the multiplayer market. While the game received mixed reviews from critics, many praised its graphics and solid gameplay but criticized its lack of innovation in the genre.
According to SteamDB, a site that tracks player counts on the PC platform, *Concord* peaked at 660 concurrent users. In stark contrast, *Counter-Strike 2*, the most-played game, has consistently maintained over 1 million players since August 2022.
In his statement, Ryan Ellis mentioned that Firewalk Studios had been "listening closely" to player feedback. "While many aspects of the game resonated with players, we acknowledge that certain elements and our initial launch didn’t meet our expectations," he said. He expressed gratitude to the players who tried the game, noting that the "passionate community that has grown around the game has meant the world to us." Ellis added that taking the game offline would allow the developers to "explore options, including those that will better reach our players."
Multiplayer, or "live-service," games that receive regular updates to keep players engaged are highly profitable for companies, and Sony has been investing heavily in this area. Earlier this year, Sony released *Helldivers 2*, a breakout success that sold over 12 million copies on PlayStation 5 and PC. However, a detailed reveal of *Concord* at Sony’s State of Play event in May failed to generate similar excitement, leading many to predict it would struggle to find a large audience.
The live-service market is notoriously difficult to break into. Statistics from the US analytics firm Newzoo, which tracks the most-played games, consistently show that years-old titles like *Minecraft*, *Roblox*, and *League of Legends* remain at the top. Earlier this year, *Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League*, published by Warner Bros, also failed to attract as many players as anticipated, despite its high-profile launch.
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