High Hopes, Low Impact: Concord Becomes PS5’s 1st Flop

The much-anticipated game Concord has officially released competing against the likes of Black Myth Wukong. But the launch has taken an unexpected turn, evoking a myriad of reactions from players, developers, and journalists alike.

With a combination of low player numbers, high production costs, and divisive character designs, Concord’s launch serves as a case study in how quickly hype can turn into a major disappointment.

The Disappointing Launch

Right now, Concord has only reached 697 players at its busiest time. This is much less than the 2400 players it had during its test phase. People think the game costs between $50 million and $150 million. This means it might not even make its money back.

The game costs $39.99 for the regular version and $59.99 for the special version. Even though these prices seem fair, not many people are buying it.

Developers in Disarray

One of Concord’s developers took to Twitter to express their feelings, swinging between pride in their work and frustration at the backlash. Screenshots have surfaced showing the developer oscillating between defending the game and lashing out at critics:

“I’m so honored to have had this be my first AAA game… Time to go play.”

However, the mood swiftly changes as hidden tweets emerge, with the developer demanding $8 to unhide tweets and eventually locking their Twitter account, suggesting a deeper care about public opinion than initially admitted.

Mixed Reviews

Reviewers can’t agree on Concord. One website wrote two different stories about it on the same day. One said to give the game a chance, while the other pointed out how few people were playing it.

Some say the game needs time to get better. Others think people are right to dislike it.

Sony attempted to manage the narrative by releasing a “Concord Beta Reaction Trailer” featuring influencers with exaggeratedly enthusiastic reactions, a move that backfired and further fueled public skepticism.

Weird-Looking Characters

One area where Concord has faced significant backlash is its character designs, which some players describe as “AI-generated.” The characters are criticized for their overly random and messy appearances, lacking cohesive artistry.

This has led to heated talks online, with some posts being taken down for being too mean.

I don’t understand why some people were defending the game saying critics are being unfair. But the outcome has proven them right.

What Other Game Experts Think

Prominent voices in gaming journalism, such as Paul Tassi from Forbes and Gene Park from The Washington Post, have also weighed in.

Tassi expressed confusion over the game’s low player count and speculated whether technical issues could be at play. Others suspect that the game’s fundamental lack of appeal to players is the core issue.

Moreover, you can also check our review of Concord where we’ve rated the game 4/10.

Final Thoughts

To sum up, Concord’s launch has been tough. It has few players, upset creators, mixed reviews, and characters people don’t like. It’s a warning about how important it is to make both a good game and keep people excited about it.

On one hand, we have the Black Myth Wukong video game that is smashing records online, and on the other hand, there’s Concord which has failed miserably.

We don’t know if Concord will get better, but for now, it’s not many players want to play it.