Marvel Rivals Director Explains Why Concord Failed

Posted by By our-little-miss-is-home December 11, 2024 26 Views 7 Min Read
Marvel Rivals Director Explains Why Concord Failed



Key Takeaways

  • Marvel Rivals director Thaddeus Sasser says that Concord failed because it didn’t add any “unique value” to the market.
  • In contrast, the free-to-play title Marvel Rivals is thriving, already amassing over 10 million downloads.
  • Concord’s Firewalk Studios was shuttered by Sony shortly after the failed hero shooter was pulled from the market.



Thaddeus Sasser, the game director of Marvel Rivals, believes that Concord failed to reach an audience because it didn’t add any “unique value” to the market. Both Marvel Rivals and Concord entered the competitive hero shooter market in 2024. While Marvel’s newest title has seen a lot of success, Concord was shut down by Sony shortly after its debut.

Sony’s hero shooter Concord featured a full cast of original characters, much like Blizzard’s Overwatch. While Sony tried to introduce its audience to the new heroes and compelling gameplay, it failed to attract a consistent playerbase. Unfortunately, Sony announced the closure of Firewalk Studios after Concord was shut down. Some fans blame the fact that Concord wasn’t free-to-play, while others believe its failure was due to poor marketing. In contrast, Marvel Rivals was released as a free-to-play game and almost instantly connected with audiences across multiple platforms.


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In an interview with the VideoGamer podcast, Marvel Rivals game director Thaddeus Sasser stated that he didn’t believe Concord brought “unique value” to the hero shooter market. He also referred to a “switching cost” associated with launching a new hero shooter. “I’ve already invested in Overwatch, I’ve got 15 skins for Pharah, I’m not going anywhere,” Sasser said. The director believes that his game stands apart because its characters are a known quantity. Marvel has a massive built-in audience thanks to the comics and the MCU. In contrast to Concord, Sasser’s hero shooter has already fostered an audience, as Marvel Rivals reached a milestone of 10 million downloads shortly after launch.


Marvel Rivals Director Questions Concord’s “Unique Value”


When Sasser was pitched the idea of Marvel Rivals, he was immediately excited. “I don’t know about you, but when I heard the concept of the game I was like ‘Oh my God I want to go be Storm in a game,’ ‘I want to go be Doctor Strange in a game,'” the director said. Marvel Rivals gives players the opportunity to embody many of their favorite heroes and villains. With 33 characters to choose from and a free-to-play model, it’s easy for all players to jump into the game. NetEase Games has even tried to entice players with a crossover between Marvel Rivals and Fortnite, along with free cosmetics.

Sasser also acknowledged that the gaming market is incredibly difficult to predict. He noted that some games seem like they will be successful and flop, while others seem like they will fail and attract huge audiences. Fortunately for Sasser and NetEase Games, Marvel Rivals seems to have been an instant success. While some fans feel that certain heroes are overpowered and require rebalancing, many are happy with their overall experience. With so much success in such a short amount of time, the future looks bright for Marvel Rivals and its fanbase.


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