Rare Concord Plaque Hits Goodwill Auction, Bidding Surpasses $3,000

A unique plaque commemorating Sony's troubled shooter Concord is up for grabs at a Goodwill online auction, with bids exceeding $3,000.

The plaque, awarded to Chelsea Grace, a "funding Freegunner, Northstar Crew" member, marks the global launch of Concord on August 23, 2024. Grace served as outsourcing and co-development lead, but it’s uncertain whether she donated the plaque herself or if it was misplaced and donated after PlayStation shut down Firewalk Studios late last year.

Concord, a live-service hero shooter developed by Sony’s Firewalk Studios, is widely regarded as one of PlayStation’s most significant failures. Due to abysmally low player engagement, Sony took Concord offline just two weeks post-launch. Estimates suggest it sold only about 25,000 copies. In our review, we gave Concord a 7, noting: "Concord may not be the most groundbreaking or content-rich hero shooter, but its stellar competitive gameplay, 16 engaging characters, and 12 thoughtfully crafted maps provide a strong foundation for potential longevity."

For collectors and fans, this plaque holds significant value. It has already drawn numerous bids, currently listed at $3,002, as reported by Dexerto. Proceeds benefit Goodwill, which supports job placement and career growth, having impacted over 25 million lives.

Tim Miller, lead creator of Amazon’s upcoming Prime Video animated anthology Secret Level, commented on Concord’s closure in November, stating: “I genuinely don’t grasp why it failed. The team was incredibly talented and gave their all, so it’s heartbreaking.”

Sony faced substantial losses with Concord. The initial development deal was valued at $200 million, though sources indicate this didn’t cover the full development costs, the acquisition of Concord’s IP rights, or Firewalk Studios itself. It’s believed that ProbablyMonsters, Firewalk’s former parent company, secured $200 million in funding in 2021.