Tag: Concord

  • Highguard Follows PlayStation’s Concord Amid Geoff Keighley’s Apology

    Highguard Follows PlayStation’s Concord Amid Geoff Keighley’s Apology

    Key Takeaways

    1. Concord’s Failure: Concord, a hero shooter by Firewalk Studios, faced backlash and was discontinued just two weeks after launch, marking it as one of the biggest video game failures.

    2. Highguard’s Introduction: Highguard, developed by Wildlight Entertainment and introduced by Geoff Keighley at the Game Awards, aims to innovate the shooter genre but has quickly faced criticism.

    3. Gameplay Similarities: Highguard is a free-to-play hero shooter featuring 3v3 battles in a MOBA-like format, but initial player numbers have rapidly declined after a peak of 97,249.

    4. Players’ Discontent: Many players are disappointed with Highguard’s performance and quality, citing poor gameplay and uninspired character designs as major flaws.

    5. Low Retention Rates: Current player counts for Highguard are low compared to other hero shooters, indicating struggles with player retention and overall dissatisfaction despite its free-to-play model.

    Concord was a multiplayer FPS hero shooter developed by Firewalk Studios, set in a futuristic sci-fi world. Players were able to select from various characters and participate in fast-paced PvP battles. Unfortunately, the game faced major backlash from the start and was discontinued just two weeks after its launch, with the studio closing down shortly after. Many gamers regard it as one of the biggest video game failures ever. On January 26th, a new game called Highguard was released, vying for that title.

    Highguard’s Grand Reveal

    Geoff Keighley, a Canadian video game journalist known for hosting events like the Game Awards and Game Trailers TV, introduced Highguard as the last big surprise at the Game Awards. The game comes from Wildlight Entertainment, Inc., the team behind Apex Legends and Titanfall, and Keighley said they aimed to “push the shooter genre forward with a fresh original game.” Just before the release, he tweeted a meme saying, “in 48 hours, I’ll be accepting your apologies,” targeting gamers who sensed trouble ahead.

    Gameplay and Reception

    Highguard is a free-to-play hero shooter where players compete in 3v3 battles similar to Paladins in a MOBA-like format. It became available on Steam on January 26th and initially attracted a peak of 97,249 players, but those numbers quickly dropped. The current 24-hour peak is only 12,748, showing a rapid decline. While Concord managed a peak of 697 players and had a price tag of $40, Highguard is free. Reviews came flooding in, and as of now, the game holds a Mostly Negative rating with over 28,000 reviews.

    Players’ Disappointment

    Players’ criticism ranges from poor performance to the overall lack of quality. One review from a gamer with over 12 hours of experience stated, “Highguard is another mid-AAA graphic-focused shooter that doesn’t know what it’s trying to be.” A common thread in the feedback is the product’s quality; even though the gameplay was promoted as exceptional, the audience felt let down after the big buildup for the awards show.

    Legendary Drops, a well-known YouTuber who talks about games on his channel, called the game’s presentation “the most aggressively generic reveal we saw the entire night.” Another recurring issue is the uninspired character designs. “The character they showcased honestly looks like John Video Game, zero identity, zero personality, much like the game itself,” he commented, comparing Highguard to Concord. Asmongold, another popular YouTuber, echoed this sentiment, questioning why players would engage with roles in the game if they aren’t appealing.

    Future Prospects

    The player count might give a clearer picture over the weekend, but expectations are low. Currently, player numbers stand at 7,195. For comparison, the hit hero shooter Marvel Rivals had an all-time peak of 644,269 just a week after its launch, and now holds at 80,290 players.

    This indicates that Highguard struggles with retention rates, even when pitted against Marvel Rivals’ impressive launch figures. Despite being free-to-play and sharing several similarities with that game, it lacks the same branding power. Whether this is just a temporary setback or a more significant issue is uncertain, but many believe the signs are not good for this title, especially considering the high hopes it came with.

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  • UK Parliament demands clarity on disabled purchased games

    UK Parliament demands clarity on disabled purchased games

    Key Takeaways

    1. UK MPs are addressing gamer frustration over losing access to purchased video games, particularly those relying on live services.
    2. The e-petition 702074 calls for changes in consumer laws to prevent game publishers from making sold games unplayable.
    3. The gaming industry significantly contributes £7.6 billion to the UK economy and supports over 75,000 jobs.
    4. A 2023 study found that 87% of games released before 2010 are “critically endangered” and not commercially available.
    5. MPs emphasize the need for transparency from publishers regarding the lifespan of games at the point of sale.

    UK MPs have recently focused on the anger of gamers who are losing access to video games they once bought. A passionate debate took place in Westminster Hall on November 3 regarding e-petition 702074, which is called “Prohibit publishers irrevocably disabling video games they have already sold.” This petition is calling for changes in consumer laws to stop video game publishers from making sold games unplayable, particularly those that rely on live services.

    Opening Remarks

    Ben Goldsborough, the MP for South Norfolk, began the discussion by saying, “I come to the debate not only as a member of Parliament, but also as a lifelong gamer.” He has played games like Cities: Skylines, Victoria II, and the Oddworld series with much enthusiasm. He highlighted how crucial the gaming industry is, noting that it “contributes £7.6 billion to the UK economy and supports more than 75,000 jobs,” and it acts as a “cultural powerhouse shaping stories, art, music, and technology.”

    Concerns About Game Ownership

    Goldsborough elaborated on how live service games, which depend on servers, have changed the way consumers think about game ownership. He remarked, “When a game shuts down without clear notice, the investment is lost. The shared world disappears.” The discussion swiftly shifted to worries about preserving games, with Goldsborough pointing out that a 2023 study by the Video Game History Foundation discovered that 87% of games released before 2010 are considered “critically endangered” because they are not available commercially in either digital or physical formats.

    Warinder Juss, the MP for Dudley North, joined the conversation and made a comparison, saying, “We do not accept our mobile phones being switched off whenever a company produces a new model and wants us to buy the new model. So why should we allow thousands of pounds worth of games to be made unplayable just because new games have been introduced?”

    Example of Concord

    To the shock of many gamers, Sony’s game Concord became a key example in the discussion, highlighting the issue of video game shutdowns. The servers for this live-service shooter went offline just two weeks after its launch. Henry Tufnell, the MP for Mid and South Pembrokeshire, brought up Concord in the debate, commenting, “A recent example is Concord, a game released for PlayStation 5 and Windows in August 2024. After a disappointing launch, Sony Interactive Entertainment decided to shut it down.”

    He acknowledged that Sony did refund all purchases, which is commendable, but pointed out that this is not always the case with certain titles being removed with little notice. Tufnell stated, “Members will agree that if publishers fail to make the lifespan of a game clear at the point of sale, they must be held accountable.”

    Conclusion

    Goldsborough concluded his points by opposing strict regulations on the industry, saying they “stifle innovation,” and emphasized that “gamers deserve clarity. If a game is likely to go offline, they should be told.” UK Parliament.

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  • Sony acknowledges challenges in live service pivot, says CFO

    Sony acknowledges challenges in live service pivot, says CFO

    Key Takeaways

    1. Sony’s Chief Financial Officer, Lin Tao, remains optimistic about the live-service games market despite recent challenges, including the cancellation of Concord and the delay of Marathon.

    2. Concord, a live-service game, was launched in 2024 but received poor ratings and was shut down within two weeks, causing Sony to incur significant financial losses and issue full refunds.

    3. The development cost for Concord was between $100 million and $200 million, yet Sony only recovered $1 million from it.

    4. Live-service games have become a key revenue source for Sony, contributing to 40% of first-party video game revenue in Q1 2025, with titles like Helldivers 2 and Destiny 2 leading the way.

    5. Sony acknowledges the need to learn from past mistakes in the live-service genre to ensure smoother and more efficient content delivery in the future.

    Sony has been looking at the live-service games market for several years now, but it has faced some challenges along the way. Lin Tao, the company’s Chief Financial Officer, remains optimistic about the live-service genre, even after recent financial troubles with games like Concord and the delay of Marathon.

    Addressing Investor Concerns

    During a Q&A session after Sony’s latest financial report, Tao talked to worried investors about the company’s push into live-service games. He recognized the challenges but pointed out that Sony has made strides over the past five years. He addressed the major concerns for investors by saying,

    “Last year, Concord was canceled, and this year, Marathon was delayed, so we have seen some negative news recently.”

    Concord was a live-service game created by Sony under Firewalk Studios. This 5v5 multiplayer shooter launched in 2024 but received poor ratings, with user scores dropping as low as 1.9 on Metacritic, leading to its shutdown on September 6, 2024, just two weeks after its launch.

    Financial Losses and Refunds

    Sony ended up providing full refunds for all Concord purchases. The development of this live-service FPS was reported to have cost between $100 million and $200 million, but they only managed to recover $1 million from it.

    Moreover, Bungie, the studio behind Halo: Combat Evolved, Halo 2, and the Destiny series, has been working on its new game, Marathon, since 2022. However, the developers have not given any updates on a release date, as their initial target of September 2025 has shifted.

    Revenue and Future Plans

    Despite these setbacks, Tao mentioned that live-service titles have been a significant revenue source for Sony over the past five years, prior to which, such games were “almost non-existent for PlayStation Studios.”

    Games like Helldivers 2, MLB The Show, Destiny 2, and Gran Turismo 7 have contributed to 40% of Sony’s first-party video game revenue for Q1 2025. Tao acknowledged that the transition into the live-service genre is “not entirely going smoothly.” He added:

    “Of course, we recognize that there are still many issues, so we should learn the lessons from the mistakes and make sure we introduce live service content where there’s less waste and it’s more smooth.”

    In addition to these challenges in live-service gaming, Sony has encountered other complications with the cancellation of projects led by Bend Studio and Bluepoint Games earlier in 2025, including an unannounced title related to God of War.

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  • Sony Closes Two Game Studios, Including Concord Developer

    Sony Closes Two Game Studios, Including Concord Developer

    Sony has had a pretty eventful year with its PlayStation branch. One of the big moments was the introduction of the PS5 Pro, which you can pre-order on Amazon for $699 and will hit the shelves next month. Additionally, they released Astro Bot, a first-party title for the PS5. On the downside, not everything has gone smoothly; the major letdown was Concord, a PvP first-person shooter that received poor reviews and was taken offline just weeks after its release.

    Drastic Measures Taken

    Now, in a surprising turn of events, Sony has made the tough choice to shut down Firewalk Studios, the team behind Concord. They have also decided to permanently end the game after careful thought on the matter.

    Concord marked Firewalk’s first foray into gaming, and it’s truly unfortunate that people have lost their jobs due to the game’s lack of success, without even being given a second chance. Although Sony didn’t specifically state it, the decision to close the studio might have been influenced by the considerable amount of money said to have been spent on developing the game.

    Closure of Another Studio

    Furthermore, Sony has also revealed that it is closing down Neon Koi, which was previously known as Savage Game Studios, a studio it bought back in August 2022. Neon Koi was working on a AAA mobile live service action game for Sony, but it has now been shut down before it could launch its first project. This means that the mobile action game will also never see the light of day.

    Despite these closures, Sony mentioned in its press release that mobile gaming still remains a key area for growth. However, they believe that the path to success lies in focusing on titles that align with PlayStation Studio’s standards and can reach a wider audience across the globe.

    In the aftermath of this announcement, more information is likely to emerge in the following weeks regarding what truly happened with Concord, Firewalk, and Neon Koi.

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