Summary
Upcoming PlayStation 5 console exclusive gameConcordmay not stand much of a chance at drawing an audience, if its beta tests have been any indication.Concordwas first announced at the end of May. A hero-shooter game in the vein of Blizzard’sOverwatch,Concordfeatures impressive graphics and an aesthetic that has been clearly inspired byGuardians of the Galaxy. As someone that has played the beta quite a bit, I can attest thatConcordis also a straight-up great video game, with solid gunplay, intense fights, and a roster of characters equipped with fun abilities.
I personally have greatly enjoyed theConcordbeta tests, but it seems that the game has simply been unable to drum up much interest. It’s unclear how many people have been playing theConcordbeta on PS5, but the interest is just not there when it comes to the PC version.According to SteamDB, theConcordSteam beat peaked at 2,388 concurrent players, which is abysmal considering the latest test was an open beta available to everyone regardless if they’ve pre-ordered. Now, it’s entirely possible that the game has performed significantly better on PlayStation, but we do not have any numbers pointing in that direction.
TheoriginalConcordbetawas only available to those that either pre-ordered the game or had a PlayStation Plus account handy. Considering these restrictions, it’s not all that surprising it wasn’t played by that many PC gamers. However, the secondConcordbeta was completely free and even came with an extra map and mode that weren’t available in the original test. The fact that PC gamers still couldn’t be bothered to playConcordis troubling, especially since the game is a multiplayer-only live-service title that will live and die by its player count. If PC gamers weren’t willing to tryConcordwhile it was free, it seems hard to believe that they will decide to commit $40 to buying the game come its August 23 launch.
Concord’s Player Count on PC Hasn’t Been Great
Despite being a live-service game,Concordcosts $40, which is a questionable decision, to say the least. Combine this with the fact thatConcordrequires PC gamers to have a PlayStation account, and it’s clear why many on the platform are seemingly deciding to skip the game. It doesn’t help thatConcord’s character designs have been widely criticized. It seems that many are simply not willing to giveConcordmuch of a chance, which is a shame. I think that if people actually played the game, a lot of them would like it, but the trick is getting people to play it to begin with.
Based on the interest shown to its beta tests,Concordmay never have a chance to get off the ground. Shifting to a completely free-to-play set-up might help the game, but otherwise it’s hard to see how it will be all that successful. Maybe word of mouth will helpConcordreach a larger audience, but as someone that loved the beta tests, I am worried that the game may not have much of a shelf life.
Concord
WHERE TO PLAY
Assemble your crew of Freegunner space outlaws and team up online with friends for thrilling 5v5 PVP modes across the galaxy in Concord.Concord is a new team-based first-person shooter for PS5® and PC*. Handpick your personal roster of Freegunners from the crew of the Northstar – a group of outlaws and adventurers working as guns-for-hire.ASSEMBLE YOUR CREWFrom powerful mystics to skilled gunslingers and helpful healers, each Freegunner brings their own unique skills, personality, and abilities that cater to a wide-range of playstyles.Create your own custom squads of Freegunners with Crew Builder to bring an arsenal of different role types to the match or focus on your favourite characters to master their gameplay and unlock unique modifiers, cosmetics, background lore, and more – you decide when to play your characters and how you impact the match.PLAY. PROGRESS. PERSONALIZE.Earn and unlock a wide range of character customization items and learn more about the characters, worlds, and factions in the Concord Galaxy with the Galactic Guide.You’ll also be able to progress toward and unlock Freegunner Variants—versions of each of the 16 Freegunners with added Combat Trait modifiers to their base abilities. As you learn and master the characters, Combat Traits empower you to tailor each character to your playstyle.
