The Concord beta has seen weak player numbers on PC. Is Sony and Firewalk Studios live-service shooter already in trouble?
Sony’s new live-service shooter Concord is set to debut next month on PS5 and PC. Leading up to its official launch, Concord is conducting two beta sessions (which are more akin to demo sessions at this stage), with the first currently underway. These sessions serve as a barometer for public interest, and unfortunately, the outlook for PC players doesn't seem promising.
According to SteamDB, which monitors various details and data, the Concord beta, scheduled to conclude today, initially drew only 125 concurrent players when it launched on July 10. This figure declined rapidly, reaching a peak of 933 players the next day, and subsequently falling to just 830 by July 13.
Now, there are several factors to take into account here. For instance, this beta was restricted to those who pre-ordered the game or had an active PlayStation Plus Extra subscription. Additionally, we lack information on the number of console players involved, which might have significantly boosted performance on Sony's platform. The upcoming beta will be accessible to everyone without restrictions, so we anticipate stronger participation numbers.
The writing was also somewhat on the wall because prior to the beta going live, access was only going to be given to people who pre-ordered the game. However, just days before the beta went online Sony announced that PS Plus Extra subscribers would also get to play, sparking speculation that the pre-order numbers were weak and that Sony was worried about not having enough people to fill the servers.
As for the general reception, it has been fairly mixed. For the most part, it seems people think the beta was decent but that nothing stood out or really grabbed their attention. With the full release of Concord happening on August 20, Sony and developer Firewalk Studios will really be hoping the next open beta (July 18-21) brings in a lot more players.
