Sony to take multiplayer game Concord offline two weeks after release

Online multiplayer video game Concord is to be taken offline just two weeks after its launch, Sony has said.

The PlayStation and PC exclusive online shooter was only released on August 23, but is said to have struggled to attract players.

In a blog post on the PlayStation website, game director Ryan Ellis of Firewalk Studios, which developed the game, said it will take the game offline from September 6, with a full refund offered to all players who purchased the game.

Mr Ellis said aspects of the game “didn’t land the way we intended” and said the developer will now “explore options, including those that will better reach our players”.

Concord is said to have taken around eight years and millions of dollars to develop, and was a so-called hero shooter, where players take part in teams made up of characters with distinct abilities, similar to popular titles such as Overwatch or Valorant.

These and similar online multiplayer games played live online have become increasingly popular in recent years, led by shooter games Counter-Strike and Fortnite, but also including other live service games such as Minecraft, which offer regular updates to gaming and content to try to keep gamers coming back.

However, the live service market is known to be difficult to gain traction in, with a number of high-profile game developers and publishers having tried and failed to introduce and grow new titles successfully.

Concord had received mixed reviews from critics, with many noting that while its gameplay and graphics were good, it failed to offer a new take on an already highly competitive genre.

Mr Ellis said Firewalk had been “listening closely” to user feedback since the launch of Concord and would now “determine the best path ahead”.