Since Sony first unveiled its new PvP multiplayer shooter, Concord, sentiment surrounding the game has been mixed to say the least. In the weeks leading up to the game’s launch it’s been hard to ignore the outpouring of negativity, especially on social media platforms where official Concord updates are usually met with laughing emojis and memes, as well as claims from video game “fans” that it will be dead on arrival.
The fact that beta numbers were lower than expected and Concord only managing to hit a peak of 697 active PC players on launch day will no doubt feed into this conjured narrative that it’s an inherently bad game. That just isn’t true. Developer Firewalk Studios has carefully crafted a fun and vibrant online shooter that, while it has some kinks to iron out, has proved to be one of the most enjoyable multiplayer experiences of 2024.
So, what’s with all the negativity? It seems bizarre that anyone who truly cares about video games would want to campaign against a newcomer looking to break into such a hotly-contested genre.
A rudimentary scan through some of the comments and discussions surrounding Concord reveals a vocal minority seemingly hellbent on the game’s demise simply because it dares to feature a diverse cast of heroes. In particular, female characters who don’t conform to imagined beauty standards, and the inclusion of pronouns in hero bios (a minor detail many won’t even notice in-game). Concord’s very existence, it seems, is an affront to this vocal minority who believe they are fighting a moral crusade, choosing to spend their free time moaning about fictional agendas rather than championing the hobby they claim to love.
Even without the tiresome “anti-woke” mob, Sony’s hot new shooter has contend with prospective players asking why they should be spending £35 on a game that shares an arena with so many free-to-play alternatives. It’s a tricky spot to be in: if Concord had launched as a free-to-play title instead, we’d no doubt be hearing about how content is locked behind paywalls and money-grabbing monetisation.
Sony has opted for the former strategy, charging players a one-time fee to experience every nugget of playable content Concord has to offer, without pushing premium battle passes, and promising even more maps, modes, and heroes in future updates. That isn’t even mentioning the quality of the game itself. We’ll hold fire on our full critical analysis until our review in the coming days but, overall, Concord is a highly polished first person shooter with fast, frenetic gameplay and a dynamic cast of characters to master. The negative sentiment surrounding its launch is misplaced, and we’d be disappointed if Concord failed to gain the momentum it deserves.
