Amid the ongoing uncertainty surrounding “Concord,” game director Ryan Ellis has reportedly resigned from his position. According to various sources, Ellis told Firewalk staff last week that he would be retiring to a supporting role.
Ellis, formerly the creative director behind “Destiny 2” and working at Firewalk Studios since 2017, was instrumental in the development of “Concorde” The game was released on August 23, 2024 for PS5 and PC, but according to unofficial surveys, only around 25,000 customers.
The disappointing sales launch led to Sony took the game off the marketshut down the servers and refunded buyers.
Deeply believed in the project
According to reports, Ellis was visibly emotional when he first appeared before his team after the release of “Concord.” “Ryan believed deeply in this project and in bringing players together through the joy of it,” a former developer told kotaku.
However, it became clear to him that certain aspects of the game were not meeting expectations. “While many aspects of the game were well received by players, we had to admit that other aspects and our initial launch were not as well received as we had imagined,” Ellis commented on the game's handling in a blog post.
Is the merchandise better received?
The future of “Concord” remains uncertain. Although the game was taken offline for a short time, a return could be imminent. They want to “determine the best path for the future”.
Already during the launch phase, analysts commented that “Concord” was more of a candidate for a free-to-play game or at least should be included in the PS Plus offer. Due to the overcrowded market, however, another hero shooter seemed doomed to failure regardless of the sales model.
At least: Despite the failure, the episode of the upcoming animation anthology based on “Concord” will “Secret Level” from Amazon Prime Video probably remain part of production.
Future of Firewalk Studios remains uncertain
Due to the failure of “Concord”, it is unclear whether Firewalk will continue in its current form. The reports of possible layoffs and the uncertainty about future projects are likely to take their toll on the team.
The studio is estimated to have 150 to 170 employees. Kotaku claims to have learned that Firewalk is one of Sony's most expensive studios per capita. The PS5 manufacturer and publisher has not yet commented on the speculation about the future.
Further news about “Concord” on PLAY3.DE:
“Concord” was released on August 23, 2024 and was intended to strengthen Sony Interactive Entertainment’s live service strategy. “Helldivers 2” showed earlier this yearthat such a model can fundamentally work.
At this point it remains to be seen how the coming “Marathon” from Bungie. In the near future, it is expected However, no major announcements will be made.
More news about Concord.
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