Sony Pulls the Plug on PS5 Live Service Game Concord

Sony has shut down Concord, the PS5-exclusive live-service shooter developed by Firewalk Studios, just two weeks after its August 2024 launch. The game was taken offline on September 6, 2024, and Sony began issuing full refunds to all players who purchased it. This makes Concord one of the fastest-discontinued AAA live-service games in recent memory.

What Was Concord?

Concord was a 5v5 hero shooter, similar in structure to Overwatch or Valorant, but with a distinctive sci-fi aesthetic inspired by shows like Firefly and Guardians of the Galaxy. Players chose from a roster of 16 “Freegunners,” each with unique abilities, and competed in objective-based modes like Clash Point and Trophy Hunt. The game was developed by Firewalk Studios, a studio Sony acquired in 2023, and was positioned as a flagship title in Sony’s push into live-service gaming.

Despite a polished presentation and a reported $100+ million development budget, the game failed to attract a meaningful player base. At its peak on Steam, it reached just 697 concurrent players, and the vast majority of its sales came from the PlayStation 5 version, which still sold only an estimated 25,000 copies in its first week. The game’s $40 price tag, combined with a saturated market of free-to-play shooters, proved to be a fatal combination.

Why Did Sony Shut It Down?

The shutdown was a direct result of catastrophic commercial performance. In a statement, Sony said the game “didn’t hit the mark” and that they would “explore options” for the future, but the decision to pull it entirely suggests the numbers were unsalvageable. Industry analysts point to several key factors:

• Pricing: Charging $40 for a game in a genre dominated by free-to-play giants like Overwatch 2 and Apex Legends was a major barrier.
• Lack of Identity: The character designs and gameplay were widely criticized as derivative, failing to stand out in a crowded market.
• Poor Marketing: The game had a muted reveal and little sustained buzz leading up to launch, despite a lengthy development cycle.
• Beta Reception: An open beta in July 2024 attracted only 2,300 concurrent players on Steam, a warning sign that was ignored.

The shutdown also forced Sony to refund every purchase, including digital and physical copies, which added to the financial loss. The game’s servers were taken offline completely, making it unplayable even for those who wanted to keep trying it.

What Happens to Firewalk Studios?

Firewalk Studios remains open, but its future is uncertain. Sony has not announced layoffs or a studio closure, but the failure of its only project puts the team in a precarious position. The studio was founded in 2018 by veterans of Bungie and Activision, and Sony acquired it in 2023 specifically to work on live-service titles. Following the shutdown, Sony stated that they will “take the learnings” from Concord and apply them to other projects, but no new Firewalk game has been announced.

This is not the first time Sony has stumbled in the live-service space. In 2022, they canceled The Last of Us Online, a multiplayer spin-off of the popular franchise, citing that the scope would have required all of Naughty Dog’s resources. Sony’s plan to release 12 live-service games by 2026 has already been scaled back to six, and Concord’s failure will likely make the company more cautious about greenlighting similar projects.

How Does This Compare to Other Live-Service Failures?

Concord’s shutdown is notable for its speed, but it’s not the only live-service game to die quickly. Here are a few comparisons:

• Anthem (2019): BioWare’s multiplayer shooter lasted about two years before being abandoned, but it never fully shut down.
• Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League (2024): Rocksteady’s game is still online, but its player base collapsed within months, and the developer has stopped adding new content.
• LawBreakers (2017): Boss Key Productions’ arena shooter shut down after just one year, with peak concurrent players around 1,000.
• Battleborn (2016): Gearbox’s hero shooter was killed by Overwatch’s release and shut down servers in 2021, but it limped along for years.

What sets Concord apart is that it was a first-party exclusive with a major marketing push from Sony, yet it still failed to reach even 1,000 concurrent players on PC. The decision to pull it after 14 days is unprecedented for a title of this scale.

What Does This Mean for PS5 Players?

For PS5 owners, the immediate impact is that Concord is simply gone. If you purchased it, you should have received a full refund automatically, but if you haven’t seen one yet, contact PlayStation Support. Your console will no longer have the game in your library, and any trophies or progress you earned are now lost.

More broadly, this signals a shift in Sony’s strategy. The company has traditionally relied on single-player, narrative-driven blockbusters like God of War and The Last of Us. The push into live-service was meant to diversify revenue, but Concord’s failure may push Sony back toward its strengths. That said, Sony still has live-service projects in development, including a Horizon multiplayer game and a new IP from Haven Studios, so the experiment isn’t over.

Can You Still Play Concord?

No. As of September 6, 2024, Concord’s servers are offline, and the game cannot be played in any capacity. There is no offline mode, and the game’s code is not available for private servers. Physical discs are now collector’s items, but they are useless without the online service. Sony has not announced any plans to revive the game, and given the scale of the failure, it’s unlikely to return.

If you’re interested in similar games, you can try free alternatives like Overwatch 2, Valorant, or Apex Legends. These games offer the same 5v5 hero-shooter experience without the financial risk, and they have active player bases.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will I get a refund for Concord?

Yes, Sony is automatically issuing full refunds to all players who purchased Concord, whether digital or physical. If you bought it from a third-party retailer, you may need to contact them directly, but Sony has said they will work with retailers to process refunds.

Is Concord coming back?

As of now, there is no official word on a return. Sony said they will “explore options,” but the game’s servers are completely shut down, and the development team has been reassigned. It’s possible the game could be reworked or relaunched as free-to-play, but that’s speculation.

Why did Concord fail so badly?

The main reasons were the $40 price tag in a free-to-play genre, a lack of unique identity, and poor marketing. The game also had a weak beta reception, which suggested low interest, but Sony proceeded with the launch anyway.

What is Firewalk Studios working on now?

Firewalk Studios has not announced any new projects. Sony has stated they will take learnings from Concord and apply them elsewhere, but no specific plans have been shared.

Does this mean Sony will stop making live-service games?

No. Sony has already said they are still committed to live-service, but they have scaled back their plans from 12 games to 6. The failure of Concord will likely make them more cautious, but they are still investing in projects like the Horizon multiplayer game.

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