Square Enix has released its financial results for the third quarter of 2024, revealing concerning trends. Operating profit dropped by 27% compared to the same period in 2023, leading to a decline in the company’s stock value (reportedly, the company lost around $350M in capitalization).

The third quarter, covering July through September, saw the release of Final Fantasy XVI on PC, the most high-profile launch during this period. Unfortunately, the port failed to gain traction among PC players, selling only 289,000 copies, according to insider reports.

This underperformance is partly attributed to the game’s requirement of a PSN account, which rendered it inaccessible in lots and lots of regions. Consequently, its peak concurrent player count on Valve’s platform reached just 27,000.

On PlayStation 5, however, Final Fantasy XVI performed significantly better. The title sold over three million copies within the first three days of its release in June 2023. Matching these figures on PC might take years.

One bright spot for Square Enix remains the multiplayer Final Fantasy XIV. The MMO segment saw a year-on-year increase in net sales for Q3 2024, thanks to the release of the major expansion Dawntrail. The game continues to be a key driver of the publisher's overall success.

Main image: steampowered.com

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