PlayStation has closed Concord developer Firewalk

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PlayStation has closed Concord developer Firewalk

Sony has closed the creator of its troubled live service game Concord, it’s confirmed.

Firewalk Studios will be permanently closed, Sony Interactive Entertainment said in a statement on Tuesday, as will mobile game developer Neon Koi.

Sony announced plans to take Concord offline, pull the game from ***** and offer refunds to all players who bought it, just two weeks after it launched in August, citing a poor reception from players.

Update29th Oct 2024 / 7:12 pm

Firewalk Studios has published a farewell message following the announcement of its closure. It’s also been claimed that Sony paid an initial $200 million for the studio’s debut title, the short-lived Concord.

At the time, Sony said it would explore the possibility of bringing the game back in a revised form. However, in Tuesday’s statement, PlayStation co-CEO Hermen Hulst confirmed the company had decided not to move forward with the title.

“Regarding Firewalk, as announced in early September, certain aspects of Concord were exceptional, but others did not land with enough players, and as a result we took the game offline,” Hulst said. “We have spent considerable time these past few months exploring all our options.

“After much thought, we have determined the best path forward is to permanently sunset the game and close [Firewalk Studios],” Hulst said. “I want to thank all of Firewalk for their craftsmanship, creative spirit and dedication.”

He added: “The PvP first person shooter genre is a competitive space that’s continuously evolving, and unfortunately, we did not hit our targets with this title. We will take the lessons learned from Concord and continue to advance our live service capabilities to deliver future growth in this area.

“I know none of this is easy news to hear, particularly with colleagues and friends departing SIE.  Both decisions were given serious thought, and ultimately, we feel they are the right ones to strengthen the organization.  Neon Koi and Firewalk were home to many talented individuals, and we will work to find placement for some of those impacted within our global community of studios where possible.

“I am a big believer in the benefits of embracing creative experimentation and developing new IP. However, growing through sustainable financials, especially in a challenged economic environment is critical.

“While today is a difficult day, there is much to look forward to in the months ahead from the Studio Business Group and our teams.  I remain confident that we are building a resilient and capable organization driven by creating unforgettable entertainment experiences for our players.”

Washington-based Firewalk was founded in 2018 and was acquired by Sony last year. Concord, its debut game, was

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in development for around eight years.

The title received “mixed or average” reviews from critics, according to review aggregation website Metacritic, where it has scores of 62 (PS5) and (65 PC). According to reports, the PS5 and PC game may have sold as few as 25,000 copies.

Concord’s demise represents another major setback for PlayStation’s live service ambitions. Sony said last November that it was halving the number of live service games it planned to release over the next few years in a bid to ensure they met quality expectations.

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#PlayStation #closed #Concord #developer #Firewalk

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