Sony Shuts Down Concord: Players Race for Platinum Trophy
Sony’s shock announcement of Concord’s shutdown just two weeks after its release has sent its remaining players into a frenzy. The ill-fated first-person hero shooter will go dark on September 6, with all players set to receive a refund.
Rushing for the Platinum Trophy
Players are desperately trying to secure the Platinum trophy before the shutdown. Reports indicate that Concord players are exploiting Rivalry matches to earn experience points quickly. Rivalry mode features two teams of five players competing in best-of-seven single-life rounds. However, players are now starting matches and immediately running off platforms to lose quickly, thus ending the round and gaining experience points faster.
The Fastest Way to Gain Experience Points
Rivalry matches reward more experience points than other modes, making them ideal for this tactic. A match can conclude in just a few minutes if the whole team cooperates, either by winning or losing four rounds in a row. This is the quickest method to reach reputation level 100, necessary for the Platinum trophy. However, win percentages will suffer, but this seems to be a small price to pay given the game’s imminent shutdown.
IGN has confirmed that Rivalry matches are being played in this manner. While some players believe there isn’t enough time left to earn the Platinum trophy, others hope Concord might return as a free-to-play game, although this remains uncertain.
A Major Flop in PlayStation History
Concord’s launch was disastrous, with analysts estimating sales as low as 25,000 units. It peaked at just 697 concurrent players on Steam, a stark contrast to other games. The game, which was in development for eight years, is now considered one of the biggest flops in PlayStation history.
There is concern for the fate of its developer, Firewalk, and Sony faces tough questions about its future live service games, including Bungie’s Marathon and Haven’s Fairgame$, neither of which have release dates.
Last year, Sony president Hiroki Totoki committed to launching only six of the 12 live service games in development, with one based on The Last of Us already canceled.
