Sony's latest blockbuster game for PlayStation 5 and PC, Concord, was released on August 23 after eight years of development. The game, however, failed to achieve much success upon its release, despite generally positive reception from fans and critics.
On Steam, Concord peaked at 697 concurrent users on its launch day, August 23, and has since dropped. PlayStation 5 player numbers aren’t publicly available, but Tweaktown has discovered that Concord currently ranks 50th on the PlayStation Store’s PS5 best-selling chart.
Concord's special edition DualSense 5 controller remains available for purchase, while some of Sony's previous controller releases focused on new games have sold out quickly. There could be many reasons why one controller sold and another didn't, though, and the fact that Concord's controller didn't sell isn't necessarily a testament to the game's popularity.
On launch day, several other Sony internal PlayStation studios rallied behind Concord, releasing statements praising the game and creating custom artwork for Concord. Sony's Insomniac (Spider-Man) and Bend (Days Gone) studios live-streamed the game on Twitch to help build excitement.
Some expected Concord to be a free-to-play title, but it got a premium version for $40. It's a live-service title, with multiple upcoming seasons planned, but – unusually for 2024 – it doesn't offer a battle pass or microtransactions at launch.
The hero shooter didn't have a long announcement period before its release, as Concord was announced in late May and launched about three months later.
Concord was developed by Sony-owned Firewalk Studios and is the developer's first game. It has been in development for over 8 years, according to lead designer Joe Weisnewski. “Concord has so much humanity and depth. I really hope people give it a chance. We're incredibly proud of the game and are ready to push it forward for years to come,” the developer said.
Sony had planned to release 10 live games by 2026, but later cut that number in half as the company outlined a plan to prioritize quality over quantity. Naughty Dog's The Last of Us Online, once touted as the developer's most ambitious game, has been canceled
According to a report, one of the last major decisions made by former PlayStation boss Jim Ryan was to force PlayStation teams to create more games as a service. A number of PlayStation developers were reportedly upset by the move, and the blame apparently lies with Connie Booth, a 30-year industry veteran. Booth left PlayStation in October 2023, and no reason was ever given for her departure. Some believe she was fired. Booth is now an executive at Electronic Arts.
Concord: The Tempest Season 1 will be released in October. It will add a new character, a new map, new variants, and additional cosmetics and rewards. It will also introduce a new season of weekly cinematic vignettes that will further flesh out the story. Season 2 is scheduled for January, and Season 3 for April.