Summary
Concordwill require players to have a PSN account, even if they’re playing onPC. This follows on from otherSony-published games making this a requirement going forward, regardless of the platform we’re playing on.
However, Concord developer Firewalk Studios has defended the move, explaining that this makes cross-play and cross-progression easily possible betweenPS5and PC. This is despite its fellow Sony-published live service,Helldivers 2, having towalk back its own PSN requirementsdue to backlash from fans.
Firewalk Studios Explains Concord’s PSN Requirements
“The goal is for players to come together,” says Concord’s lead character designer, Jon Weisnewski, in an interview withEurogamer.
“For us to have PC players and PlayStation 5 players together, for that cross-play and cross-progression to work, that’s a layer that needs to be there - just on a technical level,” he continues. “So the goal is we want to get players together, to have fun and play together, this is part of that experience.”
Of course, there would be another way around this. Many online games require you to take a separate account specific to that game, which you can then use to sign on to other platforms while keeping your progress. It just seems that the devs here have opted to make that a PSN account, rather than a new login entirely.
It’s possible that this will avoid the controversy that Helldivers 2 went through since it seems like Concord will have a PSN requirement from day one. In the case of Helldivers 2, this launched without it and then planned to make it mandatory long after release. Afterintense review bombing, the decision was reversed, and nowPSN account linking is completely optional.
The same cannot be said for Ghost of Tsushima: Director’s Cut. This release made the original game available on PC for the first time but has a PSN requirement for its online mode. While this means you can ignore it if you just want to play offline, it was enough to getthe game delisted in countries that don’t have access to PSN, since they would be locked out of an entire feature otherwise. We can expect Concord to be restricted in this way too.
Concord
WHERE TO PLAY
Concord is an upcoming FPS from Firewalk Studios, part of the PlayStation Studios family. A PvP multiplayer title, it is slated for launch on both PS5 and PC in 2024.
