Summary
Even back when it was a mere teaser back in 2023,Concordhas always been on shaky ground with the gaming public. Fortunately for the fledgling title, one of the more controversial aspects ofConcordmay be less of an issue very soon.
DespiteConcord’s open beta garnering some positive feedback, the odds are still against Sony’s latest live-service venture. After peaking at a little over 2300 players on Steam (stats for PlayStation are unavailable, but the game is likely faring better on its own turf),Concord’s open beta is back on the decline — and it’s not hard to see why. In a year deeply oversaturated with hero shooters,Concordis doing very little to set it apart from the competition. Moreover, its mass-produced flavor has been pointed out by some big names, with major streamers like Penguinz0 mocking it relentlessly. With its upcoming slate of microtransactions and a PSN account requirement to boot,Concordis caught in the perfect storm of misfortune.
Deadpool And Wolverine May Make Concord’s MCU-Lite Writing Cool Again
Concord’s lack of originalityremains the greatest threat to any hope of it catching on, and its writing is a big part of that. Where other hero shooters have managed to foster iconic characters,Concordlooks to be doing little more than riding coattails — presenting a cast of quippy rogues that seem copy-pasted from superhero-flick ensembles. However, withDeadpool and Wolverineseeing an especially strong marketing push, one that might bring the MCU back on track,Concord’s writing may get a second chance at featuring in the zeitgeist.
Concord’s Characters And Dialogue Have Caused Some Backlash
Concordwears its influences on its sleeve, with many calling its presentation thus far a mix ofOverwatchandGuardians of the Galaxy. Unfortunately, these are the same influences that have been repeated in games and films ad infinitum since the mid-2010s. With this oversaturation looming large,Concord’s cast isn’t doing it any favors; the characters focused on in its first cinematic trailer are carbon copies ofGuardians of the Galaxy’s protagonists, save for the robot sidekick 1-Off — a lesser incarnation of quirky robot characters like Pathfinder or K-2SO.
Of course, players must remember thatit’s still early days forConcord. Titles likeApex LegendsandOverwatchhave had time for their cast to be developed beyond quirky antics and self-referential quips. Theoretically, a cinematic that gave some real depth to one ofConcord’s characters could go viral under the pretense of a redemption arc for the game, lending it a great deal more legitimacy. However, whatConcordhas currently displayed is thoroughly stuck in the ironic one-liners and superhero cliches of yesteryear, a trend that’s losing out to the new demand for more emotional sincerity.
Deadpool And Wolverine Could Save Concord, But The Game May Still Struggle
The huge marketing push forDeadpool and Wolverinereflects how much is staked on it doing well. Bringing Ryan Reynolds' Deadpool and Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine together in the MCU is a big crowd-pleasing move, one that many are looking to for a superhero resurgence. With that film fighting against the cynicism facing its genre, it could have the side effect of makingConcordmore palatable. IfDeadpool and Wolverineis able to bring respect back to superhero material, the conventions that are rife within media adjacent to it, likeConcord, may be seen as fresh again.
On the other hand,Concordstill needs to conquer its other problems — even ifDeadpool and Wolverinegrants it an incidental revitalization.Concord’s monetization is still controversial, even if it’s better than what’s coming out of games likeSkull and BonesandSuicide Squad: Kill the Justice League. It will also need to get over an initial poor reception, something that may require big gameplay overhauls and a scrapping of its PSN account requirement.
