PlayStation's new live service game Concord will have cosmetic microtransactions

Sony's new first-party live service game Concord will have in-game purchases in the form of cosmetic monetization, new details on the PlayStation Blog have revealed.

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Yesterday, Firewalk Studios and Sony revealed the robust post-launch content roadmap for Concord, the new first-person squad shooter that's set to launch next week. In previous messages, the studio was quick to say that Concord wouldn't have a battle pass: "You own Concord, Concord doesn't own you," gameplay animation director Mark DeRidder said at the time.

But make no mistake: Concord will indeed have microtransactions. They just won't be in the game at launch. Firewalk is instead launching the mtX storefront with Season 1, which begins in October. So gamers will theoretically have around 2 months of play without any in-game monetization.

"With season 1, we'll also be introducing an in-game store for those looking to personalize their Freegunners further with additional customization items and to continue to support the game. These will supplement the hundreds of rewards earnable through progression and will be solely cosmetic, optional, and have no gameplay impact," the studio said on the PS Blog post.

Firewalk detailed a few of the cosmetic options that range from Freegunner personalization, including accessories like sunglasses, rings, earrings, and optional attachments, to weapon and character skins.

Sony's live service strategy bounces back and forth between specific goals. Like Helldivers II, Concord will also release for a premium $39.99 and offer optional in-game purchases. The difference between Helldivers II and Concord, however, is that Helldivers II's mTX is not cosmetic-only--Arrowhead does sell items that have a tangible effect on gameplay--and Helldivers II also has a battle pass.

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That won't be the case for Concord. Firewalk is instead rolling out all future content for free--at least that's the plan for now, and things can and often do change in the world of live games--including new playable characters, maps, and gameplay modes.

Concord launches August 23 on PS5 and PC, and will cost $39.99 upon release.