Summary
- Overwatch 2 lets players test new hero Juno while the Concord beta is live.
- Concord struggles to gain traction with limited player numbers.
- Overwatch 2 Season 12 starts just three days before Concord's release date.
Blizzard is currently letting Overwatch 2 players test new Support hero Juno ahead of her Season 12 debut, which is bad luck for PlayStation console exclusive hero shooter game Concord. Concord is a new hero shooter from Firewalk Studios that is in the midst of its second beta test at the time of this writing. Concord's first beta was restricted to PlayStation Plus subscribers and those that pre-ordered the game, while the second beta is open to everyone.
The Concord open beta started on July 18 and will continue through July 21. Personally, I have been having a blast with Concord and I think all the hate the game has been getting since its reveal is undeserved. But unfortunately, it seems like there are many gamers who are simply not interested in the game. It's unclear how many people are playing the Concord open beta on PlayStation, but the Steam version has a little over 1,200 people online at the time of this writing, and peaked at 2,388. This is not a great sign for Concord's longevity, to say the least. If PC gamers are not interested in playing it now, while it's free, surely they won't be willing to drop $40 on the full game come launch time.
Concord - Official 'The Stars are Ours' Cinematic Trailer
Upcoming sci-fi first-person shooter game Concord introduces a quirky cast of characters in this charming trailer from July 2024.
Things like the game's PSN requirement on Steam are likely holding Concord back, but there's also a chance that Overwatch 2's new Support hero is drawing interest away from the game as well. Overwatch 2's new Support hero Juno won't be joining the roster proper until Season 12 starts on August 30, but she is available to play this weekend on a trial basis. It may just be a coincidence that the Juno free trial lines up with Concord's open beta, but regardless, it may have ensured that at least some hero shooter fans stick with OW2 instead of checking out PlayStation's new game. Juno has proven to be hugely popular so far, which is also not great for Concord or other competing hero shooters, for that matter.
Juno's Debut in Overwatch 2 Coincides With Concord's Beta and Release Date
- Overwatch 2 Juno Test Dates: July 19 - July 21
- Concord Open Beta Dates: July 18 - July 21
- Overwatch 2 Juno Release Date: August 20
- Concord Release Date: August 23
Overwatch 2 is available on PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X, while Concord will only be available on PC and PS5, which is not ideal for a live-service hero-shooter game.
To make matters worse for the game, Concord's release date is mere days away from the start of Overwatch 2 Season 12. Overwatch 2 Season 12 begins on August 20, while Concord is launching on August 23. Overwatch 2 Season 12 will see the debut of Juno, but it will also likely come out swinging with plenty of other new content that has yet to be revealed. Needless to say, Concord has an uphill battle ahead of it.
Concord's inability to draw interest despite being a high-quality, polished hero shooter game that is genuinely fun to play is disappointing. And then when you throw Marvel Rivals, a free-to-play hero shooter with the Marvel IP behind it, into the mix, Concord seems like it may be doomed before it even has the chance to get going. Here's hoping more people decide to check out the Concord beta while it's live this weekend, even though there's a new Overwatch 2 Support hero to play.
Concord
- Released
- August 23, 2024
WHERE TO PLAY
Assemble your crew of Freegunner space outlaws and team up online with friends for thrilling 5v5 PVP modes across the galaxy in Concord.
Concord is a new team-based first-person shooter for PS5® and PC*. Handpick your personal roster of Freegunners from the crew of the Northstar – a group of outlaws and adventurers working as guns-for-hire.
ASSEMBLE YOUR CREW
From powerful mystics to skilled gunslingers and helpful healers, each Freegunner brings their own unique skills, personality, and abilities that cater to a wide-range of playstyles.
Create your own custom squads of Freegunners with Crew Builder to bring an arsenal of different role types to the match or focus on your favourite characters to master their gameplay and unlock unique modifiers, cosmetics, background lore, and more – you decide when to play your characters and how you impact the match.
PLAY. PROGRESS. PERSONALIZE.
Earn and unlock a wide range of character customization items and learn more about the characters, worlds, and factions in the Concord Galaxy with the Galactic Guide.
You’ll also be able to progress toward and unlock Freegunner Variants—versions of each of the 16 Freegunners with added Combat Trait modifiers to their base abilities. As you learn and master the characters, Combat Traits empower you to tailor each character to your playstyle.
