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Final Fantasy XIV player rage quits, sells $26 million of Square Enix stock
Oct. 24, 2010 (9:54 am) By: Matthew Humphries

Usually when a player really hates a game and rage quits the publisher and developer just lose a gamer for future titles they release. If it’s a subscription-based game then it’s a more serious loss of revenue. But one player in Japan didn’t just rage quit, he sold millions of shares in the game’s publisher causing a drop in the value of its stock.

The name of the player is unknown, but the game is Final Fantasy XIV and the company stock is therefore that of Square Enix.

The player made the following post on October 2nd after what must have been a really infuriating session with the game:

First thing in the morning tomorrow, I intend to instruct those who manage my precious Square Enix stock (however little it may be) to arrange to sell all of it. To Square, thank you for the enjoyment of your products up until now, with the exception of this last one. Goodbye.

Such comments are a common site on forums from upset gamers, but this gamer was quite important to Square Enix. It turns out he owned 1% of the company’s stock, which equates to $26 million worth. He went through with the sale too, which saw the value of the stock fall from 1800 yen to 1735 yen–a major drop in value for the company.

The message to Square Enix is pretty clear: Some of its most loyal gamers also own millions in company stock so don’t make a crap game or else.

For anyone in the West holding on to millions in Square Enix stock options, you should be well into your first month of playing the game now. Is a rage quit share sale on the cards for any of you?

Read more at FFXIVCore, via Geekosystem

Square Enix First Half Profits Drop 75 Per Cent wrote:Slow sales to blame for drastic drop in publisher's net income.

Square Enix has published its first half results covering the six month period ending September 30. The company reported a decline in profit to 1723 million yen ($21 million), down from 6826 million yen ($85 million) last quarter - a drop of 75 per cent.

Net revenue took a hit too, falling 30 per cent from 101.7 billion yen last half, to 68 billion yen ($843 millon). The company revised its profit forecasts to 1.7 billion yen ($21.1 million) from 2.4 billion yen ($29.8 million) - Square Enix recorded a net income of 2.68 billion yen ($33.3 million) last year.

"We're quickly working on reforms. We'd like to put our full power into regaining trust," said CEO Yoichi Wada. "If we satisfy our users, they will return. On the other hand, once the users say, 'forget this,' there's no turning back. We can only recover our trust so far."

Square Enix blamed "slower sales growth" and the "sale of property" for the drop.