Prime Video’s new video game anthology seriesSecret Levelcontains perhaps the last we’ll ever see of the live-service hero shooterConcord. Sony’s long-in-the-works multiplayer game launched earlier this year and immediately crashed and burned with gamers, failing to stand out and capture an audience in an already crowded field. So poorly was the $400 million title received that it was shut down and pulled from the PlayStation store just two weeks after its launch and the team behind it at Firewalk Studios was shuttered at the end of October. Yet,Tim Millerhasconsistently stood by the episodebased on it and asserts that, while it may have been a sticky situation to those outside of the production, this is just part of the inherent risk for the team.
Miller joined supervising directorDave Wilsonfora Q&A after Collider’s exclusiveSecret Levelscreeningwith Editor-in-ChiefSteve Weintraub, where the subject ofConcordwas brought up. While discussing what it would take to get the series to an annual release model, theLove, Death & Robotscreator discussed how the series aimed for a mix of new and upcoming games alongside pre-existing titles. Season 1 featured episodes based on well-known legacy franchises likePac-Man,Mega Man,Dungeons & Dragons, andWarhammeralongside indie darlings likeSpelunkyandSifu, yet there was also attention given to the future of gaming with titles like theMatthew McConaughey-led sci-fi titleExodus, which isn’t expected to release until late next year at the earliest. Those new games have an inherent risk because ofhow tumultuous the video game industry can be, meaning there’s no certainty they’ll even still exist by the time their episodes air.
“Just the way this works, about probably a third of the episodes are games that haven’t come out yet, likeExodusand things like that,” Miller said. At one point, Wilson chimed in to note that many of these episodes are prepared months in advance, meaning it’s not exactly possible to just start over with another game, nor is it fair to the team behind the episode to let their hard work go to waste. It’s all just part of the baked-in risk of the show’s concept. “That’s how shit likeConcordhappens.They have a release date and we work towards that. We were actually finished with the episode when we found out what was happening. So there was no way we weren’t going to release it, and it mystifies people.” Wilson added, regarding the public discourse about the episode, “Despite all the requests to release it. ‘Just make another and drop it in!'”
Tim Miller Is “Mystified” By Viewers Calling Out the Commercial Nature of ‘Secret Level’
“The other thing that mystifies me is people go, ‘This seems like a blatant exercise in commerce.’ And I’m like, ‘Well, fuck yeah, it is! So is moviemaking.’ You go to buy a fucking ticket and you buy fucking popcorn at the movies. It’s all commerce. We don’t get to make this unless they sell games. Sorry, but that’s the way it works. But I also don’t see anything wrong with thatbecause I love games like I love movies. We have to pay people to make them.”
All episodes ofSecret LevelSeason 1 are available now on Prime Video. Season 2has already been orderedand, Miller and Wilson have their way, there will be more out next year. Stay tuned here at Collider for further details as they come out.
Secret Level
An anthology series featuring 15 stories, each set within iconic video game worlds, follows unique narratives that delve into a variety of genres. From action-packed adventures to nostalgic reimaginings, the episodes connect through vibrant animation and imaginative storytelling, offering a fresh take on beloved games like Pac-Man, Dungeons & Dragons, and Mega Man.
Watch on Prime Video
