October 29th 2024.
My dear readers, it is with a heavy heart that I share the news of Concord's demise. The highly-anticipated PlayStation 5 exclusive, developed by Firewalk Studios, has been officially shut down by Sony. This unfortunate announcement came from PlayStation co-CEO Hermen Hulst, who addressed the Sony Interactive Entertainment staff with the difficult decision to permanently sunset the game and close the studio.
It's been a long and sad journey for Concord, which was only released two weeks ago. Hulst acknowledged the disappointment of fans and the dedicated work put in by Firewalk Studios, but ultimately stated that the game did not meet player expectations. He also mentioned that Sony's plans for mobile and live service games are being put on hold, even though they are a key focus for the company's future revenue streams.
The closure of Firewalk Studios also means the end for their mobile game, developed under the name Neon Koi. This little-known studio was acquired by Sony in 2022, but has remained relatively unknown since then. Hulst expressed his gratitude to the team for their hard work and innovation, but stated that their mobile action game will not be moving forward.
It's clear that Sony has taken some time to carefully consider their options before making this decision. Hulst mentioned that they have been exploring all possibilities, but in the end, they concluded that permanently shutting down the game and studio was the best course of action. He also acknowledged that the PvP first person shooter genre is highly competitive and constantly evolving, and unfortunately, Concord did not perform as well as they had hoped.
It's worth noting that despite this setback, Sony is not giving up on the live service game model entirely. There are still plans for a Horizon multiplayer game, developed by Hulst's former studio Guerrilla Games. However, it seems that the ambitious goal of having 12 live service games by 2026, with every Sony studio working on one, may no longer be feasible.
The success of Jade Raymond's new studio Haven and their upcoming live service game, Fairgame$, will be a crucial factor in determining Sony's future involvement in this model. Although there hasn't been much news about the game since its initial announcement last year, early reactions have been positive. It remains to be seen if Sony will commission any other live service games after this, as publishers are starting to realize that achieving the level of success of games like Fortnite is not as easy as it seems.
As we bid farewell to Concord, let us remember the lessons learned from this experience and continue to advance the live service capabilities of the gaming industry. And to our readers, thank you for your support. Please feel free to reach out to us through email, leave a comment, follow us on Twitter, and sign up for our newsletter. We always welcome your submissions and contributions. Stay updated with all the latest gaming news and releases by signing up for our exclusive content.
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