Key Takeaways
1. Sony discontinued the development of Firewalk’s Concord after spending over $200 million, officially closing it on September 6, 2024, due to low player interest.
2. A group of modders, called Concord Delta, successfully revived the game by reverse-engineering its backend API to create custom PC servers for gameplay.
3. The revival faced legal challenges when Sony’s copyright enforcement partner issued a DMCA takedown notice for gameplay content on YouTube, prompting the modding team to pause new invites.
4. The modding team is taking precautions to remain legal and is monitoring community posts to avoid copyright issues, while still allowing current players to access the game.
5. Community reactions are mixed, with some feeling that Sony is trying to erase Concord completely, while others believe the company wants to prevent unauthorized projects related to its games.
It has been more than a year since Sony decided to discontinue Firewalk’s Concord, which is said to have cost over $200 million to create. After minimal player interest, the project was officially closed on September 6, 2024. Nevertheless, a small group of modders has managed to bring Concord back to life.
Modders Revive Concord
As reported by The Game Post, a dedicated team of modders, including developers Red, open_wizard, and gwog, launched a grassroots initiative named Concord Delta. They invested months into reverse-engineering the backend API, enabling the creation of custom PC servers for matchmaking and gameplay, even if there are some bugs. The project went live on November 14, and the team shared YouTube videos displaying test gameplay.
Legal Challenges Arise
Unfortunately, the revival of Concord faced challenges quickly, as Sony’s copyright enforcement partner, MarkScan, a firm specializing in digital asset protection, issued a DMCA takedown notice to YouTube for content showing Concord Delta’s gameplay.
One of the lead modders, Red, addressed this issue on Concord Delta’s Discord server, stating, “Due to concerning legal action, we’ve chosen to pause invites for now.” Players who already have access can still engage on Concord Delta’s servers. Currently, Sony has not sent a formal cease-and-desist order to the modding team.
Community Reactions
Earlier, Red cautioned the community about potential legal issues, saying:
“The project is still a work in progress. It’s playable, but has bugs. I know this is disappointing for those who were refunded unexpectedly, but lawyers are probably already keeping a close eye on us, and I want to make sure this project remains as legal as possible. We will be deleting any posts that include links to copyrighted files.”
Many gamers online feel that Sony is attempting to stifle efforts to save Concord, even after shutting down its official servers. Others believe Sony wants to erase Concord’s existence and bury it for good. The game was even mentioned in the UK Parliament as an example of games being closed without a clear lifespan at the time of sale.
For now, game servers are still running for those who have invites via the Discord channel. However, the future of Concord Delta looks bleak without Sony’s approval. The lingering question is how far Sony will go to shut down this fan project aimed at reviving the short-lived live-service shooter. Sony has made several attempts to capture the games-as-a-service market, having invested significantly since its success with Helldivers 2 across various platforms.
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