Sony’s COO and CFO Hiroki Totoki reflects on Concord’s colossal failure. He says Playstation needs detailed user testing to prevent such situations in future live service multiplayer IP, which the company still has plans for.
Totoki said in the Q&A session of Sony’s financial call, “We need to have more information that will enable us to make more sound decisions.”
He said that more user testing gates will help the company to be sure about users’ acceptance of the game. Furthermore, it will allow the company to go “back to the basics” and make it stronger.
After Concord’s downfall, one would expect the company to stick with the one-player titles that have brought success for many years. However, Totoki’s statements hinted at Sony’s inclination to live service multiplayer IP, but with better strategy and lessons from the blunders made in Concord.
Per his reflection, Concord, which was filled with “toxic positivity” and the studios’ overconfidence, could have been saved if it had taken a more humble approach to testing and reviewing potential issues.
Sony’s president admits company is still learning about new IP
Totoki added that Concord suffered from cannibalization. The game was launched in the midst of other multiplayer game releases, even shortly after the company’s own Helldivers 2.
Therefore, Sony says it will allow sufficient time and space between future multiplayer releases. As Totoki said, “Going forward, in our own titles and in third-party titles, we do have many different windows”.
In addition, he shared that the right decision-making should be made when selecting the window to protect the game from cannibalization.
Reportedly, Sony is currently working on more multiplayer titles. One of the titles in development is Bungie’s Marathon, as well as other unannounced projects. Sony is also said be putting effort into its player offerings.
Ghost of Yotei is scheduled to be released in 2025. Marvel’s Wolverine is also expected to launch next year. Death Stranding 2: On the Beach by the acclaimed game director Hideo Kojima will also be released exclusively on PlayStation first.
Sony is also collaborating with Naughty Dog and Santa Monica for more titles reportedly in development.
Although Sony can’t undo the biggest disaster of 2024 aka Concord, it has shut down the developer studios responsible for the project. With several titles in the calendar with improved strategy as expected, players may be able to forget about the failed multiplayer IP.
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