Concord was a complete failure and one of the biggest missteps in PlayStations history. The future of Firewalk Studios is more uncertain than ever, as developers are unsure what will happen after the game was shut down just days after its release.
The company is experiencing a growing sense of uncertainty, which worsened recently when Ryan Ellis, director of Concord, decided to step down following the games downfall. Many developers fear the worst and believe layoffs could be coming in the near future.
Unfortunately, there are even worse scenarios, as some speculate that Sony might close Firewalk Studios after the disappointment that was Concord on PlayStation 5 and PC.
Concord director steps down, and devs fear the worst for Firewalk Studios
According to a report by Kotaku, Ryan Ellis will not leave Firewalk Studios entirely but will step down from his role as game director. The creative informed the rest of the company about the change last week.
Details suggest that Ellis will move from being game director to a support staff role. Sources familiar with the matter revealed that the studios future remains uncertain, as Sony has yet to make a decision on the studios direction.
When the company announced Concords closure, it hinted that a return with some adjustments could be possible. This led many to speculate about a relaunch as a free-to-play title, as the games price was one of its most criticized aspects.
The report paints a pessimistic picture for the games return, suggesting that Firewalk Studios could focus on a new project. There is also speculation that the company might become a support studio, helping with the development of major productions.
In the worst-case scenarios, rumors of significant layoffs and a possible closure of Firewalk Studios are circulating. The information reveals that its one of PlayStations most expensive studios per capita. Some developers are already preparing to look for new jobs, while others are simply waiting to see what happens next.
Concord was only available for a few days and is estimated to have sold just 25,000 copies on PlayStation 5 and PC. In response, Sony decided to shut down the servers and issue full refunds to players on both platforms.