Firewalk Studios appeared to confirm rumors that the company was shrugging off the massive backlash the game received after character designs were revealed during a PlayStation State of Play.
A screenshot from Concord (2024), Firewalk Studios
In the PlayStation State of Play, Firewalk Studios’ Kim Kreines, who is the Director of IP, revealed a number of the characters for the game including 1-Off, Vale, Lennox, Emari and more. Each of the characters that she shows off features the character’s name, its role, and then their preferred pronouns. Public sentiments accuse the character designs of pushing “strange” design choices, including the towering character of Emari who is an obese black woman.
Another one of the characters named Lark has “undecided” in the location where the other characters’ “preferred pronouns” are.
A screenshot from Concord (2024), Firewalk Studios
On top of this, Kreines also stated, “Every character brings their own unique personality, skills, and wide-ranging perspectives to the crew.”
She also detailed, “Every week when you log in to Concord, you will be welcomed with a new cinematic vignette that will give you a chance to see our characters off the job. They will feature ongoing narrative arcs that grow the characters’ stories and relationships and unpack the broader Concord galaxy.”
A screenshot of the character Lark from Concord (2024), Firewalk Studios
Gamers were not having any of it and expressed their displeasure with the game. YouTuber Endymion posted, “PlayStation’s new hero 5V5 PVP Shooter Concord is full of diverse character designs & they even have their pronouns listed below their name ( see top right ) Who is this game for exactly?”
PlayStation’s new hero 5V5 PVP Shooter Concord is full of diverse character designs & they even have their pronouns listed below their name ( see top right )
Who is this game for exactly? https://t.co/XEMQFNMxQ5
— Endymion (@EndymionYT) May 31, 2024
READ: Rumor: Firewalk Studios “Shrugging Off” Criticism Of ‘Concord’
Following this backlash a rumor from former World of Warcraft Team Lead Mark Kern aka Grummz detailed that Firewalk Studios was shrugging it off.
Grummz posted on X, “PlayStation owned studio Firewalk Studios has heard your complaints about Concord… And ignored them.”
He added, “Sources tell me internal emails show the Concord team is shrugging off the criticism of their characters as ‘white noise,’ and dismissing it. Very much in their own bubble.”
A screenshot of the character 1-Off from Concord (2024), Firewalk Studios
He then pointed out, “Meanwhile, their trailer has over 44k dislikes, and their lead character designer bashes white folks and is rumored to be the one who pushed for the character lineup to be super woke. They are in for a rude surprise.”
“Meanwhile Sony will be forcing PC players to register for PSN with this game, and barring it from sale in 177 countries. Vote with you wallets,” he concluded.
UPDATE: @PlayStation owned studio @FirewalkStudios has heard your complaints about Concord…
And ignored them.
Sources tell me internal emails show the Concord team is shrugging off the criticism of their characters as “white noise,” and dismissing it. Very much in their own… pic.twitter.com/Obvv58TWhs
— Grummz (@Grummz) June 5, 2024
Now, after showcasing their game to a number of media outlets, Kreines addressed the backlash to the trailer.
She told VGC, “Yeah, that trailer. That moment is such a tiny slice of everything that we’ve been working on for years and years. We’re excited for the game and for the IP, [and] for the game to be in people’s hands, the IP to be in people’s minds.”
She continued, “I’m personally very excited for the IP for folks to delve into the galactic guide if that is something they choose to do, for these vignettes to come out on a weekly basis. You’ll start to fall in love with the depth of the characters. That’s something that you learn week to week. Their personalities will unfold, their relationships will unfold for you, their backstories. None of that is something that you can get in a tiny little slice of it.”
“But that’s a start,” Kreines added. “There’s something there. So I’m glad folks watched it. I’m glad they participated and I can’t wait for them to see more, to see everything that is there.”
It definitely appears that the company is indeed shrugging off the backlash to the trailer.
Not only are they shrugging it off, but in VGC’s coverage of their gameplay another obese character named Daw.
A screenshot from Concord (2024), Firewalk Studios
What do you make of Kreines’ comments regarding the backlash?
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