Sony has officially closed Firewalk Studios following the disastrous launch of its PS5 shooter, Concord. Less than two weeks after Concord's release on August 23, 2024, Sony pulled the game offline due to low player engagement and poor performance. The closure was announced in an internal email from Hermen Hulst, CEO of Studio Business Group, stating that despite exploring all options, the decision was necessary to refocus on stronger projects and engage with successful live-service capabilities. This closure also affected Neon Koi, a German studio aiming to develop a mobile action game.
Concord struggled in a competitive market, facing challenges such as underwhelming marketing, a high price point, and failure to stand out among existing games. Analysts noted that its blend of gameplay styles did not resonate with players, leading to disappointing sales of around 25,000 units. As the gaming industry continues to navigate economic hurdles and layoffs, Firewalk Studios thanked its community and partners in their final farewell.
What happened to Firewalk Studios?Firewalk Studios was shut down by Sony after its game Concord failed to meet player expectations and lasted less than two weeks on the market. The decision followed low player engagement and internal evaluations that determined a refocus on stronger projects was essential for the company's future.
Concord was designed to be a hero shooter that combined elements of traditional first-person shooters with card battlers and fighting game mechanics. However, its execution fell short, contributing to the studio's overall failure. Firewalk Studios aimed to innovate in the PvP first-person shooter genre, though they were unable to bring enough fresh ideas to captivate players in a saturated market.
Casey Loh
Casey Loh is a tech-savvy writer who specializes in the intersection of gaming and technology. With a background in computer science, Casey brings a technical lens to her reviews, breaking down the nuts and bolts of game engines, graphics, and AI innovation.
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Comments
It's always a bummer to see a studio shut down, especially when they were trying to blend genres and innovate in a crowded market. Hopefully, this serves as a wake-up call for the industry about the importance of solid marketing and player engagement right from the start
It's a bummer to see Firewalk Studios shut down so quickly after the release of Concord; it really highlights the risks involved in trying to innovate in a saturated genre. The gaming landscape is tough right now, and even established players like Sony are feeling the heat from low engagement and high expectations.
It's always tough to see a studio close, especially after such a short run like Firewalk Studios with Concord. It feels like the gaming landscape is increasingly unforgiving, where even the most ambitious projects can falter if they don’t hit that sweet spot with players right out of the gate.