Despite its swift demise, Sony's hero shooter, Concord, continues to receive updates on Steam weeks after its removal from digital stores. This unexpected activity has sparked considerable speculation among gamers.
Concord's SteamDB Update Mystery
Free-to-Play Resurgence or Gameplay Overhaul? Theories Abound
Remember Concord? The hero shooter that fizzled out almost immediately? While officially offline since September 6th, its Steam page shows a surprising number of updates.
Since September 29th, SteamDB lists over 20 updates, attributed to accounts like "pmtest," "sonyqae," and "sonyqae_shipping." These account names suggest backend improvements and quality assurance testing ("QAE" possibly standing for "Quality Assurance Engineer").
Concord's August launch was a high-profile flop. Priced at $40, it faced stiff competition from free-to-play giants like Overwatch, Valorant, and Apex Legends. Its short lifespan and overwhelmingly negative reception led Sony to pull the game and issue refunds. It was widely considered a failure.
So why the continued updates? Firewalk Studios' former Game Director, Ryan Ellis, hinted at exploring new avenues to reach players in the game's shutdown announcement. This has fueled speculation of a potential relaunch, possibly as a free-to-play title to overcome the initial price barrier.
Sony's substantial investment (reportedly up to $400 million) makes a complete abandonment unlikely. The updates could signal a significant overhaul, addressing criticisms of weak character design and uninspired gameplay.
However, nothing is confirmed. Sony remains silent on Concord's future. Will it return with improved mechanics, broader appeal, or a revised monetization strategy? Only Firewalk Studios and Sony know for sure. Even a free-to-play model would face a challenging market.
For now, Concord remains unavailable, and Sony offers no official statements. Whether it rises from the ashes remains to be seen.