Despite its swift demise, Concord, Sony's ill-fated hero shooter, continues to receive updates on Steam. This unexpected activity has sparked considerable speculation among gamers. Let's delve into the ongoing updates and the theories surrounding them.

Concord's SteamDB Updates Fuel Speculation

Free-to-Play Resurgence or Gameplay Overhaul? Theories Abound

Remember Concord? The hero shooter that fizzled out almost as quickly as it launched? While officially offline since September 6th, its Steam page shows a surprising number of updates.

Since September 29th, SteamDB has logged over 20 updates, attributed to accounts like "pmtest," "sonyqae," and "sonyqae_shipping." These account names suggest the updates are likely backend fixes and improvements, with "QAE" possibly indicating "Quality Assurance Engineer."

Concord's August launch aimed to disrupt the hero shooter market with a $40 price tag – a bold move against free-to-play giants like Overwatch, Valorant, and Apex Legends. The launch was a catastrophic failure, however. Within two weeks, Sony pulled the game and issued refunds. The player base was minuscule, interest virtually nonexistent, and the game was widely deemed a failure.

Why the continued updates for a seemingly dead game? Ryan Ellis, then-Game Director at Firewalk Studios, hinted at exploring options to better reach players in the game's shutdown announcement. This has led to widespread speculation of a potential comeback, possibly as a free-to-play title. This would address the criticism of its initial paid model.

Sony's substantial investment – reportedly up to $400 million – makes an attempt to salvage the project unsurprising. The updates suggest Firewalk Studios might be overhauling the game, adding features, and addressing criticisms such as lackluster characters and uninspired gameplay.

Confirmation remains elusive. Sony has maintained silence regarding Concord's future. Could it return with refined mechanics, broader appeal, or a new monetization strategy? Only Firewalk Studios and Sony know for sure. Even a free-to-play relaunch would face a challenging uphill battle in a saturated market.

Currently, Concord is unavailable for purchase, and Sony has yet to announce its plans. Whether Concord rises from its ashes remains to be seen.