Sony NUKES WOKE Concord Developer Firewalk Studios—FINALLY!

Sony just officially shut down Firewalk Studios, developers behind Concord, and the numbers don’t lie—this so-called “woke Concord game” failed miserably. With only 1,000 players on Steam at launch and barely 25,000 copies sold, Concord turned out to be yet another concord woke flop. The studio’s closure, alongside Neon Koi, means 210 people are losing their jobs. PlayStation Studios CEO Hermen Hulst justified the decision by saying that, after reviewing Concord’s poor performance, it was the “best path forward” to sunset the game and close down the studio.

The Concord PS5 release came with high hopes for Sony's gaming portfolio. However, Concord’s “inclusive” character designs and pronoun preferences made this game feel like a box-checking attempt at woke media rather than an engaging experience. With its forced inclusivity, fans quickly branded it “woke Concord trash,” and it’s clear the core audience felt alienated by the direction the developers took. It's another attempt to bring political narratives into gaming spaces where fans just want to enjoy quality gameplay, not a lecture on social values. This shows again why “concord woke” titles aren’t cutting it with players who want immersive gameplay and character depth over superficial “representation” gimmicks.

Concord PS5’s failure also leaves a sour note in the gaming community regarding “woke media” trends. Even though Sony invested in marketing Concord with trailers and beta testing, fans were already pointing out that the “concord woke trash” angle would be its downfall. While it’s sad to see jobs lost, Sony’s decision seems to reflect a larger trend where “woke media” content gets heavy backlash from core audiences.

Here’s the reality: Concord proves that woke politics in games like Concord PS5 and woke Concord projects often alienate gamers, hurting both sales and the reputation of big-name studios like Sony. Will this be a lesson for future developers? Only time will tell. In the meantime, it’s clear that forced inclusivity, like “pronouns Concord,” is viewed by fans as pandering rather than progressive.