As reported by Kotaku’s Ethan Gach, game director Ryan Ellis informed his team last week about his decision to step down. He will be moving into a more supportive role, according to various sources.
Ellis had been the public face of the studio, with his name tied to PlayStation’s announcements regarding the game, including the one stating the shooter would be pulled after just two weeks. It was also removed from digital storefronts, and players across all platforms were refunded.
“While some elements of the game connected with players, we acknowledge that other parts of the launch did not meet expectations,” the official statement noted.
“Ryan truly believed in the project and aimed to bring players together,” shared a former developer with Kotaku. “Although there were areas for improvement, he is a kind person with a genuine passion for the game.”
Reports also suggest that the rest of the team is currently in limbo as they wait to hear what comes next after Concord was taken offline to reconsider options for improvement. While there is potential for the game to return, many staff members remain doubtful, with some already preparing their resumes.
“Some team members have been asked to pitch completely new ideas for Firewalk, which currently has around 150-170 employees,” Gach mentioned.
Additionally, Gach confirmed on X (formerly Twitter) that the company suffered from a culture of “toxic positivity,” a problem that also reportedly affected another Sony-owned studio, Bungie, leading up to a large restructuring earlier this year.
Concord is now seen as one of the biggest gaming disappointments in recent memory. After its August 20 launch on PlayStation 5 and PC, it struggled to gain traction, with fewer than 700 concurrent players on Steam within a week. Analyst Simon Carless estimated the game sold only 25,000 copies. This followed eight years of development and the game was officially taken offline on September 6.