Key Takeaways
- Critically-acclaimed Astro Bot is releasing on September 6, while poorly-received Concord is being shut down.
- Sony may take a financial hit from Concord, but Astro Bot’s positive reviews and potential sales could help make up for it.
Friday, September 6 is going to be a day of mixed emotions for the PlayStation brand, as that day will see the launch of the critically-acclaimed Astro Bot as well as the demise of the recently-released hero-shooter Concord. PlayStation is a leading players in the console gaming market, with over 61 million PS5 consoles sold to date.
New games are released for the PS5 on a near-constant basis, which is a big part of the reason why the console’s sales are so high. There are plenty of third-parties releasing games for the PS5, including some console exclusives, but Sony itself is also making its own games. One of the most critically-acclaimed PlayStation games will be released on September 6, but its release date coincides with the shutdown of one of the company’s biggest failures.
September 6 is the day that Astro Bot releases to the masses, and it’s also the day that Concord will be shut down indefinitely. Astro Bot has earned rave reviews from critics and is currently the highest-rated new video game release of 2024 with an astonishing 95 overall rating. Concord, meanwhile, was released to mixed reviews from critics and was rejected by the community. It reportedly sold a mere 25,000 copies or so and struggled to find a player base. The complete lack of interest in Concord has led to Sony making the unprecedented decision to shut the game down just two weeks after its launch.
Why September 6 is Going to Be a Day of Mixed Emotions for PlayStation Gamers
- Critically-acclaimed Astro Bot is releasing on September 6
- The poorly-received hero-shooter Concord is being shut down on the same day
While it’s true that the vast majority of PlayStation gamers didn’t care about Concord, it’s still sad to see a first-party game fall on its face. Sony will no doubt be taking a financial hit because of Concord‘s failures, and it’s unclear if a potential re-launch as a free-to-play game down the road can save it. Concord has been a failure for Sony, but the good news is that the same day it’s being shut down is the day that the company is releasing one of the year’s most critically-acclaimed games.
Astro Bot reviews have been overwhelmingly positive, and hopefully, that enthusiasm will translate to strong sales. It may also send a message to Sony about what consumers want from the brand. One of the reasons why Concord was skipped by many PlayStation fans is that they want single-player games from the studio, not live-services. It will be interesting to see how Astro Bot performs commercially, and if Concord ever makes a return.
PlayStation 5
Sony’s PlayStation 5 is part of the ninth console generation and debuted with a launch lineup that included Demon’s Souls and Astro’s Playroom. The console comes with a Blu-ray disc, although a digital-only edition is also available for a cheaper price.
