Why Concord Failed to Take Off: A Deep Dive

Last Updated on 08/31/2024 by M Kumar

Sony’s latest multiplayer shooter, Concord, has been the talk of the gaming community recently—but not for the reasons you’d expect.

As we discussed in our previous blog, Instead, of celebrating a successful launch, discussions are centered around its surprisingly low sales and player engagement. Despite being a first-party title from a gaming giant like Sony, Concord has only managed to sell approximately 25,000 units so far. Let’s explore what went wrong with this highly anticipated game.

Disappointing Launch Numbers – Concord

When Concord launched on August 23, the initial player count was alarmingly low. On Steam, the game peaked at just 697 concurrent players, and that number has since dropped to around 130 active players. These figures are concerning, especially for a game backed by Sony and developed over several years with significant investment.

Industry analysts have weighed in on these numbers:

• Liam Deane, principal analyst at Omdia, stated that the Steam stats are so poor that it’s evident the game is underperforming, even without detailed PlayStation data.
• Mat Piscatella from Circana noted that on August 26, Concord ranked 147th in daily active PS5 players in the US, with less than 0.2% player engagement.
• Simon Carless of GameDiscover.co estimated sales of about 10,000 units on Steam and 15,000 on PlayStation.

Missed Marketing Opportunities

A significant factor for underperformance is its weak marketing campaign. Despite being a new intellectual property, Concord didn’t receive the promotional push it needed:

• Low Visibility: The game suffered from low awareness among gamers, with only minimal advertising in place. Retail promotion was sparse, with few placements on major platforms like GameStop, Best Buy, and Walmart.
• Lack of Hype: By the time of its release, only a small percentage of players even knew Concord existed. This lack of excitement and anticipation significantly impacted its launch.

For a game like this, which didn’t have an established fanbase, strong marketing was crucial. Unfortunately, Sony’s efforts in this area were not enough to generate the necessary interest and buzz.

Pricing Challenges

The $40 price tag has been another hurdle:

• Competing Against Free-to-Play Games: In a market where popular shooters like Apex Legends, Valorant, and Overwatch 2 are free to play, Concord’s upfront cost was a tough sell.
• Player Hesitation: Gamers are often reluctant to invest in a new title, especially when they are already committed to other games where they’ve spent time and money. For content creators, there’s also the risk that their audience won’t follow them to a less popular game.

If Concord had been launched as a free-to-play game or included with PlayStation Plus, it might have attracted a larger player base. The $40 price likely discouraged many potential players from giving it a try.

Lack of Unique Features

In an already crowded genre, Concord failed to offer something new and exciting:

• Generic Gameplay: Critics have noted that Concord doesn’t bring any innovative mechanics or standout features to distinguish it from other shooters.
• Missed Opportunities: When development began, Sony aimed to capitalize on the popularity of multiplayer shooters. However, other studios released successful titles during Concord’s development, setting high standards that this game didn’t meet.

Without unique selling points, this game struggled to capture and retain players’ interest in a market filled with well-established and engaging games.

Struggling to Stand Out

In an already crowded market, Concord failed to offer something unique:

• Familiar Gameplay: Critics have noted that Concord doesn’t bring anything particularly new or exciting to the table, making it hard to stand out in a genre filled with well-established games.
• Tough Competition: The hero shooter market is already dominated by successful titles like Apex Legends, Valorant, and Overwatch 2. Without a distinctive hook, Concord struggled to attract players.

To succeed in today’s competitive gaming landscape, a game needs to offer something that sets it apart. Unfortunately, Concord didn’t have that defining feature to draw in players.

What This Means for Sony’s Future

Despite Concord’s rocky start, live-service games remain a major focus for the gaming industry:

• Big Risks, Big Rewards: While many live-service games struggle, those that succeed can generate significant revenue and build strong communities.
• Learning from Mistakes: Concord’s challenges provide important lessons for Sony and other publishers. Effective marketing, the right pricing strategy, and offering something unique are key to a successful launch.
• Ongoing Investment: Sony is likely to continue investing in live-service games, hoping to replicate successes like Helldivers 2.

Conclusion

Concord’s disappointing performance highlights several key issues—weak marketing, an unfavorable price point, and a lack of distinctive features. While this is a setback for Sony, it also offers valuable lessons for future releases. In the ever-evolving world of gaming, success requires careful planning, strong promotion, and an understanding of what players are looking for. As the industry moves forward, Sony and other publishers will need to apply these lessons to avoid similar missteps.

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