Square Enix Loses Stock Value, Development Process Under Fire

Square Enix is in a bit of a rough spot following financial setbacks and rocky game releases. While some titles like Final Fantasy XIV have delivered consistent quality and remained popular with fans, other entries from the series as well as newer games from the publisher have shipped in questionable states and typically fail to hit sales targets. Now, after suffering a sizable hit to its stock, the Tokyo-based publisher is facing scrutiny over how it manages the development of its properties.

A recent report from Bloomberg documented the tumultuous situation Square Enix finds itself in: The company has lost close to $2 billion in value since its latest game shipped in June (Final Fantasy XVI). Final Fantasy XVI fell short of sales targets, but its struggles aren’t unique. FFXIV required a massive reboot after a failed launch, FFXV had a long-winded development cycle, and though FFVII Remake had higher sales than FF XVI, it exists alongside abrasively microtransaction-filled mobile titles like Ever Crisis and a swiftly shuttered mobile battle royale game.

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Again, for any fan who tries their best to follow the development of Square Enix games, this probably isn’t surprising to hear. Though the publisher is trying to turn things around t, as reported by Eurogamer earlier this year, the company’s chief accounting officer reflected that “in light of current conditions [...] this will not be easy.”

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