Sony vows no repeat of Concord flop, sets March 2026 launch

Sony has reaffirmed its dedication to live service gaming despite high-profile setbacks like Concord, while confirming Marathon will launch before April 2026 – though acknowledging mixed responses to its recent alpha test.

A Costly Lesson Learned

Sony's hero shooter Concord stands as one of PlayStation's most spectacular commercial failures. The title was pulled offline merely two weeks post-launch following abysmal player counts, with reports suggesting it sold fewer than 25,000 units. This resulted in the shutdown of developer Firewalk Studios and a loss of hundreds of millions.

Rebuilding Strategy with Marathon

Sony Interactive Entertainment's Studio Business Group CEO Hermen Hulst addressed investor concerns about applying Concord's lessons to Bungie's upcoming extraction shooter Marathon. While acknowledging "varied" alpha feedback, Hulst committed to releasing the game before March 31, 2026, promising refined development approaches.

“Live services present tremendous opportunities alongside unique challenges," Hulst explained. "While Helldivers 2 succeeded, Concord entered an oversaturated market without sufficient differentiation. We've implemented rigorous processes to validate creative and commercial assumptions throughout development cycles."

Regarding Marathon specifically, Hulst noted: “We're committed to delivering Bungie's first original IP in over a decade as a bold, innovative experience. Alpha testing feedback, while mixed, provides invaluable iteration opportunities to optimize launch success."

Recent Controversies

Hulst notably avoided addressing Marathon's recent art plagiarism scandal. Bungie faced criticism last month when independent artist Fern Hook accused the studio of using her work without permission or credit, prompting public apologies from creative leadership during an awkward livestream where no game assets were shown due to ongoing content reviews.

Sony's Live Service Rollercoaster

The company's live service initiatives have seen both triumphs and disasters beyond Concord, including canceled projects like Naughty Dog's The Last of Us multiplayer and two unannounced titles (including a God of War spinoff). Despite these setbacks, Sony maintains ambitious plans, having created new studio teamLFG while developing Guerrilla's Horizon multiplayer and Haven's Fairgames.

Originally planning 10+ live service releases by 2026, Sony revised expectations to six confirmed launches after corporate review. "Quality supersedes quantity in our gaming philosophy," stated Sony president Hiroki Totoki during this strategic adjustment.

The Live Service Future

Hulst emphasized Sony's ongoing commitment to diversifying its live service portfolio: "MLB The Show, Destiny 2, and Helldivers 2 demonstrate our capability across genres. Particularly Helldivers 2's success – where microtransactions now drive over 50% of revenue – proves our monetization strategies can work when execution aligns with player expectations."

The executive concluded with Marathon's firm release window: "We anticipate launching within this fiscal year," reaffirming Sony's March 2026 deadline.