The Fall Of Concord Should Set A Much-Needed Precedent

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Shahmeer Sarfaraz

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Over the years, the video game industry has undergone many changes, some good, some not so good. Now, due to several factors, gaming has essentially stagnated. With the big-budget AAAs and their extremely small margin for error, experimentation has ceased.

All we’re getting are the same old AAAs, or worse, ridiculous live services. A good example of the latter is what Sony did not too long ago with Concord. It was a pristine example of everything wrong with today’s video game industry.

Why it matters: The gaming industry has doubled down on live services lately, and this failure needs to remind them why it’s no longer a desired concept.

Concord Didn’t Even Last A Month

Wait, “was?” It’s no mistake, my friends. Concord is history, and I can’t tell you how glad I am to see this. No offense intended to anyone who worked hard on this game. I genuinely appreciate their efforts, but this was the wrong project to put work on.

Ever since Concord was announced, I’ve been a stark opposer of this game. The first look left a bad aftertaste, and subsequent stuff just made it worse. Hollow gameplay elements, generic hero shooter designs, needless “woke” concepts, and political correctness mixed in, it was a total mess.

Thankfully, I wasn’t alone in thinking this. This game might not have been as hated had it been released a few years ago, but with how much the live service concept has been overused and exhausted these days, people’s tolerance for generic and uninspired cash grabs is at an all-time low.

All it received was opposition the entire time between its reveal and release. Things didn’t change after release, as the game barely reached a 1000-peak player count. No one wanted anything to do with this mess. Ultimately, the game was put to rest on September 06, 2024. It lasted exactly 15 days.

A Lesson To Be Learned From Concord

Do you know what would’ve been even worse than getting Concord? Had it succeeded and prompted everyone to double down on these ridiculous projects? For once, I’m genuinely grateful for this community and its collective hatred for something.

I feel like Sony losing hundreds of millions over Concord was a necessary scenario if the gaming industry were to change. The massive corporation needs to learn that its strategy is extremely flawed, and worthless titles like this will not be tolerated.

Hopefully Concord's inevitable failure will make Sony rethink how it approaches MP games.
byu/-MERC-SG-17 inConcordGame

Dumping a ridiculous amount of budget on a soulless game like this was Sony’s fault in the first place. Plus, this case should be an eye-opener for how unsustainable this big-budget AAA model, and “hoping to earn big bucks from live services” is.

I hope this blissful event serves as an example of what not to do and forces Sony to scrap all the other live services it has in the works, too.

If Even Sony Can’t Get Away With It, No One Can

Besides, it’s not just a warning for Sony. The entire gaming industry should take this event seriously. The failure of Concord shows that if a massive company with a substantial fan following like Sony can’t sell a game like this, it means there’s something genuinely wrong with this strategy.

I genuinely hope Concord was a good enough lesson
byu/Caninystic inArcRaiders

Live service is not an “easy money-making opportunity” as it’s made out to be. Take a look at Concord; hundreds of millions are down the drain. How will a live service earn if there’s no one willing to play it? Especially a title as horribly executed as Concord. Live service isn’t the problem, these soulless implementations are.

Regardless, this should be a wake-up call to step away from the genre. Hero shooters and live service had their time, but it’s gone now. Everyone involved in live services should heed this warning. The fate of Concord is what awaits all others of its ilk.

The Need For Creativity

So, if live services and big-budget blockbusters with similar designs aren’t the answer, what is? That, my friends, is looking for something different and unique. Something that doesn’t cost as much to make and is filled with fun and creative stuff to do.

Rather than vast open worlds, cinematic AAAs, and more live services, it’s time to look for creativity and imaginative freedom. No “political correctness” and forced diversity, no “more of the same,” something that stands out and prioritizes fun and engaging gameplay above all.

Shahmeer Sarfaraz

Shameer Sarfaraz has previously worked for eXputer as a Senior News Writer for several years. Now with Tech4Gamers, he loves to devoutly keep up with the latest gaming and entertainment industries. He has a Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science and years of experience reporting on games. Besides his passion for breaking news stories, Shahmeer loves spending his leisure time farming away in Stardew Valley. VGC, IGN, GameSpot, Game Rant, TheGamer, GamingBolt, The Verge, NME, Metro, Dot Esports, GameByte, Kotaku Australia, PC Gamer, and more have cited his articles.