Despite the general feeling that Concord would struggle on release, I don’t think anyone truly expected things to play out quite how they did. Only two weeks after the game launched, Sony and the game’s director, Ryan Ellis, announced that it would be removed from sale, taken offline, and players would be refunded for their purchases. Following that, reports have emerged that indicate Ellis has stepped down from his position, with the wider team as yet unsure about the game’s future.
Though the statement regarding Concord shutting down was firm, there were still a few glimmers of hope scattered throughout. Ellis stated that developer Firewalk Studios would continue to “explore options, including those that will better reach our players”. This indicates that while the door was closing on the multiplayer game, there is still potential for a future revival at some point.
According to Kotaku, however, it appears that the developer has yet to receive further information regarding the fate of the game. Sources have reportedly told journalists that they “are pessimistic Concord will return,” and that “some have been asked to explore pitches for something completely different”. While there are no firm answers just yet either for fans or the studio, this does appear to cast a pall over the future for the beleaguered title.
In addition, director Ryan Ellis reportedly told staff that he is stepping down from his position, re-orienting to a support role in the company. The former Destiny 2 lead “deeply believed in that project and bringing players together through the joy in it,” according to a former Firewalk developer.
For their part, some developers working for Firewalk Studios have already begun to consider their future, with Kotaku reporting that staff are “updating their resumes and portfolios,” and “a few have already preemptively exited the studio”.
If you would like to read the full statement from PlayStation regarding Concord’s closure, you can head over to the official blog to see more.
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