Until Dawn Remake PC and PS5 Launch Saw 28% Fewer Players Than the Shut-Down Concord

Sony’s Until Dawn Remake for PlayStation 5 and PC is off to a rough start, experiencing many technical issues, underwhelming player numbers, and negative user feedback. Released on October 4, 2024, this remake of the 2015 horror classic was supposed to bring updated graphics, technical improvements, and minor story changes.

However, Until Dawn Remake’s launch has been anything but smooth, particularly on Steam and PS5, where it has struggled to attract players and deliver the polished experience fans hoped for. For context, according to the tracking website SteamDB, Until Dawn Remake debuted with a peak concurrent player count of just 2,607 on Steam — a significant drop compared to other PlayStation titles that have made the jump to PC.

For example, Ghost of Tsushima saw a peak of 77,154 concurrent players, God of War reached 73,529, and Spider-Man hit 66,436. In contrast, Until Dawn is now one of Sony’s worst debuts on Steam, on par with other disappointing releases like Concord and Sackboy: A Big Adventure.

Where Did Until Dawn Remake Failed?

PC and Steam

To summarise, several factors contributed to this Until Dawn Remake’s weak launch. Firstly, the game launched for $59.99 with no upgrade option for those who already owned the original. It likely alienated many potential players, especially considering that the original Until Dawn is nine years old. Additionally, while fans of the original were excited about the remake, the title lacked the marketing push that other Sony PC releases received, meaning it flew under the radar for many players.

As for the small player base that did pick up the game, they also reported a host of technical issues, leading to a “mixed” user rating on Steam, with only 70% of reviews being positive. Despite the most helpful user review recommending the game, it also criticises the required PlayStation Network (PSN) account, poor optimisation, changes in the soundtrack, bugs, and problematic controls.

Other reviews echo these concerns, noting that ray tracing and DLSS features aren’t up-to-par, with graphical issues detracting from the game’s atmosphere. Many players feel the problems “destroy immersion,” which is crucial for a horror game like Until Dawn Remake. The high price tag for a remake of a nine-year-old game also comes under fire, especially considering the technical hiccups.

Related: Astro Bot Review: Sony’s Best Game in Years and Possible 2024 GOTY Contender

PlayStation 5

The problems with Until Dawn Remake are not limited to the PC version. The PlayStation 5 edition of Until Dawn Remake also suffers from performance issues, including frame pacing and frame ordering issues, and it is locked at 30 frames per second at 1440p resolution.

According to Digital Foundry, there’s noticeable aliasing along high-contrast edges, and motion on-screen causes significant breakup, detracting from the visual quality. These technical shortcomings are surprising, given the power of the PlayStation 5 and the promise of an enhanced experience using Unreal Engine 5.

In addition, according to data from Game Insights, Until Dawn had 28.6% fewer players at launch than Concord, a game pulled from digital storefronts just two weeks after release due to poor sales. Moreover, the game’s debut player count was 98.5% smaller than The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered, another PS5 remake of a PS4 game that has seen far greater success.

The Until Dawn Remake Updates Arrives Too Late

Ballistic Moon, the developer behind the remake, has acknowledged these problems in an official statement. On October 8, they released a post addressing the technical issues and asked players to provide feedback to help resolve them.

Thank you #UntilDawn friends & fans⏳
Your support means so much to us 🖤
If you’ve run into any tech issues, please email us at support@ballisticmoon.com with platform, game version & PC specs if applicable.
Thanks again, and stay safe out there! ⛰️💀⌛#UntilDawn2024

— Ballistic Moon (@ballistic_moon) October 7, 2024

“We understand that some of you may have encountered some technical issues or bugs, and we’d love to hear from you so we can address these concerns,” the developer said. They are actively working on fixes for recurring problems like HDR and AMD FSR frame generation issues and save/load malfunctions.

Unfortunately, despite the promise of future updates, many players who spent $59.99 on the game are understandably frustrated, as Ballistic Moon has not provided a timeline to implement the changes. For many, these updates arrive too late to save their experience with the game.

Closing Thoughts

Ultimately, the weak launch of the Until Dawn Remake resulted from several missteps. A lack of promotion, technical issues, and a high price point contributed to the game’s underperformance. Despite the love many fans have for the original, it appears that the remake has struggled to live up to expectations in technical execution and player reception.

There’s still hope that future patches and updates could improve the game’s standing, but for now, Until Dawn’s Remake PS5 and PC debuts have been disappointing, leaving many to wonder if this beloved horror title will ever see the revival it truly deserves.

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