By Kwanwoo Jun


NCsoft Corp.'s shares slumped Tuesday amid concerns that its major global competitors' simultaneous new game launches could eclipse its own release next year.

Shares of the South Korean video game developer fell as much as 9.4% to 424,000 won ($324.39) on Tuesday morning, the sharpest intraday decline in nearly six months, according to FactSet. The stock was last down 7.8% at KRW431,500, underperforming the benchmark Kospi's 0.1% drop.

The retreat of NCsoft came after two rival videogame developers, Blizzard Entertainment Inc. of the U.S. and Square Enix Holdings Co. of Japan, fixed the release dates for "Diablo 4" and "Final Fantasy 16" in June 2023, by which time the South Korean company also aims to launch its new title, "Throne and Liberty," amid weakening growth at its existing "Lineage" series.

Seoul-based DAOL Investment & Securities analyst Kim Ha-jeong said in a research note she expects the multiple game launches by rivals in a similar genre could be a drag on NCsoft's gamer-traffic growth.

She said NCsoft's users may defect to the new Diablo and Final Fantasy titles.


Write to Kwanwoo Jun at kwanwoo.jun@wsj.com


(END) Dow Jones Newswires

12-13-22 0131ET