In a surprising yet somehow expected turn of events,Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE)has announcedthe closure of two of its studios, Firewalk Studios and Neon Koi, dealing a final blow to the studio’s once-ambitious project calledConcord.
For fans and industry insiders, the news not only marks the end of the studios' journey but also extinguishes any hopes for the revival of the game that promised a good PvP first-person shooter experience but struggled to gain any traction,shutting down soon after its launch.
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Sony’s Interactive Entertainment CEO Hermen Hulst recently sent aninternal emailrevealing the decision to shut down the studio.
It reveals that Concord showcased a potential hit during the development process butultimately failed to meet player expectationsin the fiercely competitive FPS market crowded by heavy hitters such asValorantandOverwatch.
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After pulling the game offline earlier in September, the studiofurther evaluated all options for the project. Unfortunately, it concluded that thebest course of action was to permanently sunset the game, effectively burying any chances of a revival.
Sony’s Future In Live-Service
Firewalk Studios was initially positioned as a bold creative force and was a part of Sony’s efforts to expand beyond the traditionalPlayStation ecosystem.
This includes expanding more into thelive service spaceinstead of theAAA title the gaming giant is known for.
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Sony evenmade headlines earlier this year with anothermajor live service success in Helldivers 2, which might have given them confidence inConcord as well.
In the aforementioned letter, Sony emphasized how it intends to improve its live-service capabilities moving forward, suggesting that while Firewalk’s doors are closing, the experience gained from the project will help in making better multiplayer games in the future.
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Unfortunately, Firewalk’s closure was not the only casualty today. SIE has also decided to shut down Neon Koi, another experimental studio under its umbrella.
Neon Koi had been working on a mobile action title, which now joins the growing list of canceled projects.
Sony clarified that while mobile gaming is still a priority, the company needs to be selective and align these titles with the high standards associated with the PlayStation brand.
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