Concord’s Troubled Development: A £300m Misstep?

The PlayStation shooter Concord has been making headlines for all the wrong reasons. According to a recent podcast, the game’s development cycle was marked by “toxic positivity,” where critical feedback was ignored, leading to a game that failed to meet expectations.

A £300m Misstep?

The podcast, Sacred Symbols, spoke to someone who worked on Concord, who revealed that the game’s development cycle was “so much worse than you think.” The source claimed that the game was internally referred to as “The future of PlayStation” with Star Wars-like potential, but ultimately fell short.

Toxic Positivity and a Head-in-the-Sand Mentality

The “toxic positivity” claim has been backed up by Kotaku, with a senior reporter corroborating the story. According to the reporter, some sources blamed a head-in-the-sand mentality carried over from the studio’s Bungie roots, where a sense of invincibility led to a lack of critical feedback.

A Sense of Invincibility?

The reporter also mentioned that some sources believed the team thought the game would come together because they were “too good to fail.” This sense of invincibility may have contributed to the game’s downfall.

Disputing the £400m Figure

However, not everyone agrees with the £400m development cost. Some developers familiar with PlayStation dispute the figure, while others suggest it likely includes the acquisition cost of buying Firewalk.

A Bumpy Launch and a Hasty Refund

Concord was removed from sale just two weeks after its launch on PS5 and PC. Game director Ryan Ellis admitted that while many aspects of the game resonated with players, others didn’t land as intended. Sony issued refunds to all players, and Ellis reportedly stepped down, leaving the team at Firewalk Studios in limbo.

A Lesson Learned?

The Concord debacle serves as a reminder of the importance of constructive feedback and a willingness to adapt during game development. As the gaming industry continues to evolve, it’s crucial for developers to prioritize quality and player satisfaction above all else.

[Image: A screenshot of the Concord game]

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