Concord, Sony's Major Flop, Continues to Get Updates on Steam

Despite its disastrous launch and subsequent removal from stores, Sony's hero shooter, Concord, continues to receive updates on Steam. This unexpected activity has sparked considerable speculation among gamers.

Concord's SteamDB Updates Fuel Speculation: Free-to-Play Relaunch?

Concord, initially launched with a $40 price tag, failed to gain traction in the competitive hero shooter market dominated by free-to-play giants like Overwatch, Valorant, and Apex Legends. Pulled from digital shelves shortly after its release in September, its Steam page nonetheless shows a flurry of updates since September 29th, logged on SteamDB. These updates, attributed to accounts like "pmtest," "sonyqae," and "sonyqae_shipping," suggest ongoing backend work, possibly focused on quality assurance and bug fixes.

The persistent updates, following the game director's statement about exploring options to better reach players, fuel speculation about a potential relaunch. A shift to a free-to-play model is a popular theory, addressing the significant criticism levied against the game's initial price point. Given Sony's substantial investment (reportedly up to $400 million), attempts to recoup some of this cost are plausible. The updates could signal a period of significant retooling, addressing complaints about uninspired gameplay and underdeveloped characters.

While Sony remains silent on its plans, the possibility of Concord returning with improved mechanics, a broadened appeal, or a revised monetization strategy remains open. However, even a free-to-play version would face an uphill battle in the fiercely competitive hero shooter landscape.

Currently, Concord remains unavailable for purchase, and its future remains uncertain. Only time will tell if these updates foreshadow a successful resurrection or if Concord will remain a cautionary tale in the gaming industry.