Concord
News, coverage and analysis tracking Concord across the outlets.
Latest coverage
PS5 fans troll Sony over whether its new headsets are digital or not
Sony announced new PlayStation Pulse and Pulse Edge wireless headsets for the PlayStation 5, but the announcement was met with widespread criticism online. Fans are complaining about Sony's recent business decisions, including abandoning physical games and the perceived poor quality of previous headsets, overshadowing the new product details.
Goodwill Hunting: Consoles’ brand value and loyalty is being tested | Opinion
The article argues that Sony and Microsoft will need significant customer goodwill to justify the high prices of their upcoming next-generation consoles. Sony's decision to drop Hideo Kojima's game Physint, which was then picked up by Xbox, is presented as a damaging blow to their goodwill reserves, especially in light of past missteps like the pivot to live service games and the cancellation of Concord.
PS5 games line-up in shambles as Wolverine disappoints and Fairgames reappears
Sony Interactive Entertainment is facing criticism for its PlayStation 5 game lineup, with Marvel's Wolverine receiving lukewarm reviews and the live service game Fairgames appearing generic. The company's strategy has led to studio closures and a perceived decline in quality first-party titles, contrasting with its strong console sales.
Physint goes from PlayStation to Xbox as Sony "unexpectedly" drops Hideo Kojima's Metal Gear Solid…
Xbox has announced it will publish Hideo Kojima's upcoming action-espionage game, Physint, after PlayStation unexpectedly canceled the project. Kojima stated that PlayStation Studios informed him of the cancellation in mid-June, prompting a three-month search for a new partner, which led to the collaboration with Xbox. The article also touches on Sony's recent strategic decisions and Xbox's own challenges.
Horizon Hunters Gathering reportedly scrapping live service elements following closed beta
Guerilla Games is reportedly overhauling its upcoming game Horizon Hunters Gathering, removing live service elements like microtransactions following negative feedback from its closed beta. The game will shift to a more standard co-op multiplayer experience with a smaller scope. Its fate remains uncertain as it must impress PlayStation executives by December.
Sony reportedly reverses course on live service co-op Horizon game after 'negative player feedback'
Sony has reportedly instructed Guerrilla Games to pivot its upcoming live service co-op game, Horizon Hunters Gathering, into a more traditional co-op experience with a story and smaller scope following negative player feedback in recent playtests. The studio has been given until December to impress executives with the rebooted concept, or the project may be canceled, joining other live service games Sony has previously scrapped. Many developers from the project have been moved to work on the next single-player Horizon game.
Sony gives up on yet another live service game as Horizon Zero Dawn 3 news leaks
Sony Interactive Entertainment's live service game strategy continues to falter, with the Horizon multiplayer spin-off, Hunters Gathering, reportedly being retooled into a traditional co-op game due to poor testing feedback. Many of Sony's planned live service titles have failed or face uncertain futures, leading to speculation about the delay of future single-player Horizon titles.
Report: Live-service removed from Horizon Hunters Gathering following negative player feedback
Guerrilla Games is reportedly removing live-service elements from its upcoming co-op title, Horizon Hunters Gathering, due to negative player feedback. The game is being redesigned as a traditional multiplayer experience with a story mode and a reduced scope. This change follows PlayStation's broader challenges with live-service games, including cancellations and studio closures.
Horizon Hunters Gathering is reportedly no longer a live service game following negative feedback
Horizon Hunters Gathering has reportedly been rebooted to remove its live service elements following negative feedback from early playtests. Developer Guerilla Games is overhauling the game into a more traditional multiplayer co-op experience with a story mode and smaller scope. This marks another setback for Sony's live service ambitions, with the game needing to impress executives by December.
Horizon Multiplayer Game Being Rebooted To Remove Live-Service, Next Mainline Horizon Game “Years Away,” Report Says
Guerrilla is reportedly rebooting its live-service multiplayer game, Horizon Hunters Gathering, to remove live-service elements and focus on a more traditional cooperative experience with a story mode. The studio has until December to impress executives with the reboot's progress. Additionally, the next mainline single-player Horizon game is said to be years away from release.
Bain & Co: Research shows only one in five players seek out new titles
A report by Bain & Company indicates that two-thirds of players prefer familiar games or sequels, with only one in five actively seeking new titles. The research highlights that focused games targeting specific audiences are more commercially successful than generic ones, citing Baldur's Gate 3 as an example of success versus Concord's struggles. The report also touches on the growing adoption of generative AI in game production and its potential for understanding player behavior and personalization.
'I honestly thought Highguard looked pretty good' — Gears of War creator laments internet culture where…
Gears of War creator Cliff Bleszinski laments the current internet culture where players form negative opinions about games like Concord, Highguard, and Horizon Hunters Gathering before release, leading to "dogpiling." He notes that this trend makes it difficult for developers, as the public's minds are often made up before they even have a chance to play the game. Bleszinski believes it's no longer "cool to like something" and that games face intense scrutiny, impacting their reception.
Marvel’s Wolverine Has Given Us Sony’s Best-Looking PS5 Ever
Sony has unveiled a new limited-edition PlayStation 5 console and controller bundle inspired by the upcoming game Marvel's Wolverine. The "Battle Yellow" design features artwork by Jock and will be available on September 15, coinciding with the game's launch. This release marks a departure from Sony's recent trend of less distinctive limited-edition hardware for the PlayStation 5.
Gamesight: Creators are best predictor for a game's success, not viewership
Marketing platform Gamesight's analysis indicates that the number of active creators producing content by day three of a game's launch is a more reliable predictor of long-term success than total viewership. This metric is particularly crucial for player-versus-player first-person shooter games, where factors like replayability and competitive progression contribute to sustained creator interest and community formation.
Does anyone know how to drive this thing?
The article critiques the current state of the video game industry, highlighting a perceived lack of direction and a focus on short-term profits over sustainable development. It points to Sony's struggles with live-service games and Microsoft's costly acquisition spree and subsequent layoffs as examples of poor management. The author argues that this trend of layoffs and uncertainty is detrimental to game development and player experience, contrasting it with companies like Capcom and Larian that have maintained stability and achieved success.
"Single-player, narrative-driven gaming is here to stay," ex-PlayStation boss says: "It's how we built this business. That's what sustains it"
Former PlayStation boss Shawn Layden asserts that single-player, narrative-driven gaming is essential for the industry's sustainability, citing PlayStation's most successful titles. While acknowledging the place for live-service games like Helldivers 2, he points to failures like Concord and Destiny 2's decline as cautionary tales.
PlayStation CEO promises to "revitalise the market" with more live service games
PlayStation CEO Hideaki Nishino stated in an interview that the company intends to invest more in live service games to "revitalize the market." This comes despite recent underperformances and layoffs in the live service genre, including at Bungie. PlayStation has had mixed success with live service titles, with hits like Helldivers 2 and notable failures like Concord.
Sony games boss says company will bravely keep sending live services over the top, despite cancelling 8 of the 12 ones planned for 2025 and wiping out most of Destiny 2's developers
Despite cancelling eight of twelve planned live service games for 2025 and shutting down most of the Destiny 2 development team, Sony Interactive Entertainment CEO Hideaki Nishino stated the company will continue to invest in and develop live service titles. Nishino believes these games attract a global audience and aims to revitalize the market with both first-party and third-party content, while also considering the long-term potential of older titles.
Sony Interactive Entertainment president and CEO hasn't given up on live-service games just yet
Despite numerous cancellations and underperforming titles, Sony Interactive Entertainment president Hideaki Nishino has reaffirmed the company's commitment to live-service games. Nishino stated that the genre is still relatively new and that Sony wants to continue taking on challenges within it, aiming to revitalize the market with both first-party and third-party content. Sony plans to release its own live-service title, Marvel Tōkon: Fighting Souls, this year.
After Years of Live-Service Chasing, Single-Player Games Are Winning Again
The article discusses the shift in the gaming industry from a strong focus on live-service games back towards single-player experiences. While live-service games can be highly lucrative, many publishers struggled to implement them successfully, leading to a resurgence in demand for complete, finished single-player titles. This trend is evident in recent showcases from Sony and Xbox, which highlight promising single-player games as key platform definers.
