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PlayStation is set to take offline the newly released live service game “Concord,” developed by Firewalk Studios, this Friday, only two weeks after its August 23 launch. Alongside the shutdown, the company will be issuing refunds to all players.
“Concord,” a team-based first-person shooter, has struggled to attract a significant player base since its release on PlayStation 5 and PC. According to SteamDB, a third-party PC gaming data website, the game had just 30 active players at the time of reporting on Tuesday. At its peak, “Concord” reached 697 concurrent players—a notably low number for a new PlayStation title—and it ranked near the bottom of PlayStation’s weekly sales charts.
Often compared to the popular multiplayer shooter “Overwatch,” “Concord” allows players to form crews of Freegunner space outlaws aboard the spacecraft Northstar, competing in online matches between two teams of five. However, the limited number of players made finding matches increasingly difficult, detracting from the overall gaming experience.
In a blog post published by PlayStation on Tuesday, Ryan Ellis, game director at Firewalk Studios, addressed the situation. “Concord fans — we’ve been listening closely to your feedback since the launch of Concord on PlayStation 5 and PC and want to thank everyone who has joined the journey aboard the Northstar. Your support and the passionate community that has grown around the game has meant the world to us. However, while many qualities of the experience resonated with players, we also recognize that other aspects of the game and our initial launch didn’t land the way we’d intended. Therefore, at this time, we have decided to take the game offline beginning Sept. 6, 2024, and explore options, including those that will better reach our players. While we determine the best path ahead, Concord sales will cease immediately and we will begin to offer a full refund for all gamers who have purchased the game for PS5 or PC.”
According to PlayStation, customers who purchased “Concord” from the PlayStation Store or PlayStation Direct will receive a refund to their original payment method. Players who bought the game through Steam, the Epic Games Store, or physical retailers will receive refunds through those respective platforms. Once refunds are processed, players will no longer have access to the game.
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