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Ryan Ellis, game director of Concord, has stepped down after the game was taken off the market, leaving its future and that of Firewalk Studios uncertain.
Formerly a creative director on Destiny 2 at Bungie, Ellis left in 2017 to lead Concord’s development. Last week, he informed Firewalk staff that he would transition from his role as game director to a support position, as reported by Kotaku.
Kotaku is reporting that Concord's director (Ryan Ellis) has stepped down and the company is expecting mass layoffs. Apparently Ellis was so emotional about Concord's failure he couldn't speak. I am sorry this is the outcome, I wish they'd made better decisions pic.twitter.com/BlUt2Cuqik
— Moriarty (@MRIXRT) September 19, 2024
As the key decision-maker, Ellis oversaw Concord, a multiplayer FPS where players become Freegunners—space outlaws with unique weapons and abilities. Despite positive feedback on its mechanics, the game struggled to attract players, selling an estimated 25,000 copies on PC and PS5 before being pulled from sale on September 3, just two weeks after its late-August launch. Three days later, it went offline “indefinitely.”
Ellis’ departure leaves the prospects for Concord and Firewalk Studios uncertain, with developers unsure of the company’s next steps or ongoing projects. There is speculation that Concord may relaunch as a PS Plus exclusive or free-to-play title by late 2024. However, the staff have been encouraged to pitch new projects, and discussions about collaborations on other Sony titles are ongoing. Fears of mass layoffs persist, prompting some developers to update their resumes, while others await severance package details.
Earlier this year, Sony implemented major cuts, canceling several games.These actions indicated a strategic shift within the company, and sources suggest that further reductions may be on the way.
