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Final Fantasy XIV Blamed For 92% Decrease In Square Enix Earnings Forecast
As we previously mentioned in our story on Deus Ex's delay, Square Enix has lowered their forecast for earnings for the rest of the fiscal year by 91.7%. The primary reason for the decrease in estimated profit? Troubled MMO Final Fantasy XIV.
1UP has the full report on Square's earnings forecast reduction, including the explanation for it. The company, of course, cited the delay for Deus Ex: Human Revolution, but Final Fantasy XIV was also cited. Square said the game did not live up to "the level of customer satisfaction that fans of our Final Fantasy franchise have come to expect."
In addition to low sales and generally negative fan and critical reaction, Square has also delayed the PlayStation 3 version of FF XIV and has declined to charge a planned subscription fee for the game while they work to improve it. With the cost of developing a triple-A MMO as gargantuan as it is, a failure on the level of Final Fantasy XIV can drain money quickly.
Square was originally estimating that it would bring in 12 billion yen ($142.4 million) during the rest of the fiscal year, but thanks to the problems with Final Fantasy XIV and the Deus Ex delay, the company is now expecting a mere 1 billion yen ($11.9 million).
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