Final Fantasy XIV disappoints stockholder, $26 million rage quit follows
Rumor: Private investor sells $26 million in shares due to disappointment with the MMORPG
Early reviews for Final Fantasy XIV Online have not been very positive. So far, the game has received a 54/100 rating on Metacritic. But most unsatisfied customers don’t own 1% of Square Enix stock. According to Japanese news site Yucasee Media, a disgruntled stockholder and Final Fantasy fan may have sold over $26 million dollars worth of Square Enix stock due to his disappointment with the MMO.
On October 7, Square Enix stock price fell from ¥1800 to ¥1735. But the drama behind what may be the most expensive rage quit in the history of gaming begins on October 2, when a Final Fantasy fan and investor holding about 1% of Square Enix Co., Ltd, allegedly made a post on the internet, saying:
“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.”
Unfortunately, Yucasee Media did not list a source for this comment made by the alleged investor and Final Fantasy fan. Still, the news outlet reasons that the numbers add up. The unusually steep drop in the value of the stock could be explained by the investor in question selling all his shares on October 7th.
Above: Note the sudden drop on October 7
Since the drop in price on October 7, Square Enix stock seems to have recovered. According to Bloomberg BusinessWeek, Square Enix Holdings Co., Ltd was valued at ¥1,770 when the Tokyo Stock Market opened today, on October 14. The stock's highest value for October 14 was ¥1,805 a share.
Oct 14, 2010