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‘Concord’ grounded: Sony shuts down team shooter game two weeks after lackluster launch

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'Concord' grounded: Sony shuts down team shooter game two weeks after lackluster launch

As a seasoned gamer with decades of experience under my belt, I can’t help but feel a pang of sympathy for the team behind Sony’s “Concord.” Eight years in development, a bold venture into the crowded shooter game field, and yet, two weeks after its launch, it’s time to call it quits.

As a passionate film buff speaking, I sadly announce that my favorite gaming company, Sony, will be closing down their latest creation, “Concord”, this coming Friday. It’s been just two short weeks since its launch, and it entered an already competitive shooter game market on somewhat rocky ground.

According to Ryan Ellis, Game Director at Firewalk Studios (a branch of Sony Interactive Entertainment), sales for the team-based sci-fi game available on Playstation 5 and PC will stop right away, and everyone who bought it will receive a complete refund.

In a post on the PlayStation blog yesterday, Ellis expressed gratitude to fans for their feedback since the release of the team-based first-person shooter game on August 23rd. He acknowledged those who embarked on this journey with him aboard the Northstar, the ship that players maneuver during gameplay.

Although some aspects of the game experience were well-received by players, there were other elements that didn’t meet our intended goals during launch. As a result, we’ve chosen to temporarily remove the game from service starting September 6, 2024. During this time, we will be considering various strategies, such as those that can better connect with our players.

As a film enthusiast, I’ve been eagerly anticipating the release of this game that took eight long years to develop. However, upon its launch, it seems that not as many people were drawn to it as I had hoped, according to gaming data from SteamDB. On Wednesday afternoon, only 62 players were concurrently enjoying the game, with an all-time peak of just 697 players – figures that are surprisingly low for a new PlayStation release. Even in a day’s time, the highest number of players it managed to attract was a modest 132, a stark contrast to powerhouse shooter games like “Overwatch” and “Counter Strike 2,” which boast 24-hour peaks of over 50,000 and an astounding 1.3 million players respectively.

During our decision-making process about the future, Concord sales are being temporarily halted starting now,” Ellis announced. “We will also provide a complete refund to all players who bought the game for either PS5 or PC.

For individuals who bought the live-services game on the PlayStation Store or PlayStation Direct, you’ll receive a refund using your original payment method. If you purchased “Concord” from platforms like Epic or Steam, you’ll get a refund in a similar manner. After the refund, players will no longer be able to access the game, as stated. Those who own a physical copy of the game can request a refund through their respective digital storefronts and retailers.

On Wednesday, a representative from Sony chose not to provide additional comments to our query from The Times right away.

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2024-09-07 14:37

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