WE ARE SO BACK!!! (YouTube Grifters - Not Concord fans)
It appears Sony isn't COMPLETELY ready to bury the Concord hatchet just yet. Rumors are now swirling that Firewalk Studios’ troubled multiplayer shooter may soon re-emerge as a free-to-play (F2P) title, with the company hoping to salvage literally anything from what has been widely regarded as the biggest flop in gaming history...
The speculation stems from recent activity on Concord's Steam database, with updates to the game's files being logged as recently as October 8. Screenshots taken from SteamDB are making rounds on Reddit, and while the changelog remains a mystery, gamers believe the updates point to a potential F2P relaunch.
Sony's Last Option for Concord: Free-to-Play
Concord, once hyped hard by Sony and the games media/journo mafia as a major AAA release, has been anything but successful. The open beta performance indicated disastrously low player engagement, despite the significant resources Sony poured into the project. With HUNDREDS of millions already invested, there aren't many avenues left for Sony to explore, and transitioning Concord into a free-to-play (F2P) model seems to be their last-ditch effort to recoup some of their losses—or at the very least, generate some positive momentum around the game...?
It’s no secret that F2P has worked wonders for some struggling titles in the past. By lowering the cost to entry, they can bring in a wider audience, and who knows- potentially turning things around by monetizing through in-game purchases and battle passes...? Hey at least - that's the idea behind it - but in practice, Concord has far more issues than just the cost to play it. This could be Concord’s only chance for any survival, but it’s important to note that even this move is no guarantee of success. I remain skeptical - and Concord may already be too far gone to be saved.
The Industry's Response: Doubts Over the Comeback
Despite the buzz surrounding Concord's potential shift to free-to-play - when you’ve got a project that failed so spectacularly out of the gate... even an F2P model may not be enough to undo the damage done to its reputation.
Gamers have already rejected Concord in its original form. Bringing it back as F2P might attract some curious players for an initial bump, but it’s unlikely to retain them unless significant improvements are made to the game itself. Character models, game modes, and a reason to pick it up and play it over the competion.
Firewalk Studios Prepares for Impact
Amid all the speculation, Firewalk Studios is reportedly bracing for impact. The studio has faced intense scrutiny following Concord’s disastrous launch, and while they’re hopefully working hard behind the scenes to breathe new life into the project, the reality is that their window for redemption is closing rapidly... and tbh - I'm kinda shocked that Sony is now tripling down on the sunk cost into this game. They've come this far, maybe they're thinking, what's a few million more to get it back to the finish line again?
The pressure on both Firewalk and Sony to turn this around is beyond immense. Should this F2P speculation turn out true, it'll undoubtedly be viewed as their last-ditch attempt to salvage some - any sort of - semblance of success from Concord. However, the odds are stacked against them, and it remains to be seen whether this move will be the lifeline the game desperately needs, or just another chapter in its decline...
What’s Next for Concord?
For now, we'll have to wait and see what Sony’s next move will be. While screenshots of Concord’s Steam files being updated hint at a possible F2P release, nothing official has been announced yet. Whether this change could signal a revival or the final nail in the coffin for Concord, well... only time will tell.
The game's fate could FINALLY be decided in the coming months, and as of now, going free-to-play may be the only card Sony has left to play in this high-stakes bet. Whether it pays off or ends in another costly misfire is anyone’s guess...
~Smash
Src/Cred: Pirat_Nation on X
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