Concord: A Costly Endeavor for Sony
The recently closed PS5 shooter Concord reportedly carried a hefty price tag of $400 million, as revealed by Colin Moriarty, host of the Sacred Symbols podcast. Despite being internally dubbed as “the future of PlayStation,” the game’s development was hindered by a culture of “toxic positivity.”
Concord’s Record-breaking Budget
During a recent episode of Sacred Symbols, Colin Moriarty shared insights from someone involved in Concord’s development, indicating that an estimated $400 million was invested in the project. It remains unclear how this budget was divided between Sony and other stakeholders, and whether it accounts for Sony’s acquisition of the studio.
According to Moriarty, the game had entered an alpha state by the first quarter of 2023, with about $200 million already spent on its development. Sony’s subsequent investment of another $200 million aimed to salvage the project and bring it to a marketable state.
The Impact of Toxic Positivity
One of the key factors contributing to Concord’s downfall was the culture of toxic positivity within the development team. This environment stifled constructive criticism and hindered the ability to address underlying issues in the game.
According to Moriarty, the team was unable to openly discuss flaws in character designs or gameplay mechanics due to this pervasive positivity. This mentality may have contributed to the game’s gradual decline despite substantial financial investments.
I can corroborate the part about toxic positivity. Some sources I’ve spoken with blamed a head in the sand mentality carried over from the studio’s Bungie roots.
A sense the game would come together because the team was too good to fail. I’ll have more next week. https://t.co/F9y87aEEFp— AmericanTruckSongs9 (@ethangach) September 20, 2024
Ethan Gach from Kotaku further supported the toxic positivity narrative, attributing it to a misguided belief in a “Bungie Magic” philosophy. This mindset assumed that the team’s talent alone would lead to a successful outcome, despite warning signs during development.
The Aftermath of Concord’s Closure
Following the shutdown of Concord’s servers, players who had purchased the game were issued refunds, marking an uncertain future for Firewalk Studios. Reports suggest that the studio is bracing for extensive layoffs and potential closure in the wake of Concord’s demise.
(Source: Sacred Symbols)