Square Enix has publicly denied claims that it is planning to go private, after a Japanese business magazine reported the publisher was exploring the move with interest from foreign investment funds. The company behind Final Fantasy, Kingdom Hearts and Dragon Quest issued a statement to correct the record after the report caused its Tokyo Stock Exchange shares to jump between seven and 12 per cent in a single day.

The speculation followed a report by Sentaku magazine, which Square Enix said had not been announced or sanctioned by the company, stressing that "no consideration is currently being given" to taking itself private. Reports suggest major shareholder 3D Investment Partners, which owns roughly 18.5 per cent of the company and has previously pushed for a strategic rethink, may have fuelled the rumours. The episode comes after several years of restructuring at Square Enix, including the 2022 sale of Western studios Crystal Dynamics, Eidos Montreal and Square Enix Montreal to Embracer Group, and layoffs of over 100 US and UK staff earlier this year as it consolidated development in Japan.