Fans Revive Concord After Sony’s Shutdown Attempt
▼ Summary
– Modders recently launched custom servers for the hero shooter Concord over a year after Sony shut it down.
– Sony responded by issuing copyright claims through MarkScan Enforcement, leading to the removal of YouTube videos showcasing the fan servers.
– The modders have paused invites to their Discord server due to legal concerns, though the revival project itself remains unaffected for now.
– Critics argue Sony’s actions appear petty, as fans are reviving the game at no cost to PlayStation, despite it being Sony’s intellectual property.
– The article notes that even unpopular games like Concord represent years of developer work and shouldn’t be entirely lost.
A group of dedicated modders has successfully launched custom servers for the hero shooter Concord, more than a year after Sony officially discontinued the game. This fan-led initiative aimed to resurrect the title, which initially struggled to find its audience, offering players a chance to experience it once more. However, Sony appears unwilling to let the revival proceed unchallenged, as the team behind the project recently faced copyright claims targeting their demonstration videos.
According to reports, MarkScan Enforcement, a firm specializing in intellectual property protection and anti-piracy efforts, filed Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) takedown requests against two YouTube videos that showed Concord running on the new fan-operated servers. Both clips were removed from the platform, though the revival project itself remains accessible for now. In response to the copyright claims, the modding group has temporarily halted new invitations to its Discord server, where progress updates and community discussions were taking place.
One developer involved in the effort, known as Red, posted a message in the Concord Delta Discord server explaining, “Due to worrying legal action we’ve decided to pause invites for the time being.” This cautious approach reflects broader concerns within the fan community about potential escalation from Sony.
While the company holds the intellectual property rights to Concord and may wish to control its use, even if it has no current plans for the game, many observers see the move as heavy-handed. Fans argue that games, regardless of their commercial performance, represent years of creative effort and deserve preservation. Shutting down a non-profit, community-run project could be viewed as an unnecessary step, especially when the original title is no longer available through official channels. We have contacted Sony for comment and will provide updates as more information becomes available.
(Source: Kotaku)
