The worst since 1999.

Remember Dragon Age: The Veilguard? The game that many a mainstream pundit was quick to praise, but fans were notably not so hot for? Well, it turns out that it, along with EA Sports FC 25, didn't sell so well, to the point that EA had to roll back its sales projections. As a result, the stock price for the company plummeted to a low of $115.86 per share. EA's stock hasn't been that low since 1999. For those keeping score, that was 26 years ago.

The news comes in the wake of continuing debate over the so-called culture wars, with many quick to point out the curious disconnect between fan reaction to games like Veilguard, for instance, and what the critics have to say. With themes and content that felt wholly out of place in a Dragon Age game, many consumers were concerned that the design team was putting messaging ahead of every other aspect of the experience. If sales were so low, it seems possible that content was at least in part to blame.
While this news is hardly confirmation of that belief, it does at least give cause to raise an eyebrow or two. Star Wars Outlaws was bombarded with similar complaints from alternative gaming journalists and fans alike, and that game also suffered floundering sales. In fairness, FC 25 is hardly part of the culture wars, but it is perhaps the victim of other problems, including the loss of the FIFA branding, as well as the numerous complaints that fans have with EA's annual sports games. While this isn't the end for EA, it's nothing good. Hopefully a course correction is incoming.
Source: CNBC