Sony has confirmed the permanent closure of Firewalk Studios, the developer behind its live-service game, Concord, as well as mobile game developer Neon Koi.
Just two weeks after Concord launched in August, Sony announced plans to take the game offline, remove it from sale, and issue refunds due to a poor reception from players. Although Sony initially explored revising Concord, PlayStation co-CEO Hermen Hulst confirmed the decision to discontinue the title entirely.
Importance: Concord serves as a reminder that even prominent industry leaders like PlayStation can stumble with significant missteps, highlighting some concerning trends within the gaming industry today.
Hulst stated:
“Regarding Firewalk, as we shared in early September, Concord had promising aspects, but it ultimately didn’t resonate with enough players, which led to the game being taken offline. After careful evaluation, we concluded that permanently sunsetting the game and closing [Firewalk Studios] was the best course forward.”
He expressed gratitude for Firewalk’s dedication, noting that the PvP shooter space is incredibly competitive and always evolving. Regrettably, He stated that they didn’t meet their targets with this project. However, he continued that the insights from Concord will contribute to strengthening their live service efforts.
Hulst acknowledged the challenging impact on affected staff and shared that efforts are underway to find roles for some employees within other Sony studios.
He also emphasized the importance of balancing creativity with financial sustainability, especially in the current economic climate. Firewalk Studios, based in Washington, was founded in 2018 and acquired by Sony last year.
Concord, which had been in development for eight years, launched to “mixed or average” reviews, scoring 62 for PS5 and 65 for PC on Metacritic. Reports indicate that the title sold around 25,000 copies on PS5 and PC.
Concord’s failure represents a considerable setback for PlayStation, particularly given their ambitious push towards live service titles. It raises questions about how PlayStation will adapt and pursue its live service goals moving forward.
More News:
All Passes In Fortnite Will Progress With XP In The Future
