Concord’s ambitious $400 million budget was split between Firewalk Studios’ parent company, ProbablyMonsters, and Sony. Despite this heavy investment, the game failed to perform well commercially. Many gamers and industry professionals were left questioning whether Sony’s approach to the project was too optimistic. Sony’s history with major game investments is filled with hits, but Concord has unfortunately joined the list of costly failures, like Anthem.

Development Hurdles and « Toxic Positivity » in Concord’s Production

According to an anonymous developer, one of the major issues during Concord’s production was the culture of « toxic positivity, » which made it difficult for anyone on the team to critique or address the game’s problems. This type of environment can stifle innovation, as seen in other failed projects across the gaming industry, such as BioWare’s challenges with Anthem’s development. In contrast, many successful games thrive on open feedback and continuous improvements during development.

Concord’s Short-Lived Launch: Sales and Player Numbers Disappoint

Despite the anticipation and heavy marketing push, Concord launched to low player numbers, with only 25,000 copies sold and fewer than 700 players online at its peak. Within just two weeks, the servers were shut down and refunds issued. This mirrors other quick shutdowns in the industry, such as LawBreakers’ rapid demise, showing how difficult it is to break into the competitive first-person shooter market.

Lessons from Concord’s Rapid Failure: Market Saturation and Development Challenges

The hero shooter genre is already saturated with well-established games like Overwatch and Apex Legends. To stand out, new titles must bring something fresh to the table. Unfortunately, Concord followed too closely in the footsteps of its competitors without offering unique mechanics or experiences. Sony’s plans to explore the future of Concord may involve significant reworking, but for now, the project’s future remains in question.

Concord’s Place in the Hero Shooter Landscape: Why It Failed to Stand Out

Concord’s failure to differentiate itself from the sea of hero shooters may be one of the core reasons for its downfall. While games like Valorant have successfully carved out a niche, hero shooter success stories like these require more than just high production value—they need innovation and strong community support.