Bad News for NCSoft

City of Heroes may be closed down, but the buzz on Twitter is alive with past players wanting, hoping, dreaming of getting their game back.   Stories of how the game taught kids to read, connected families, and otherwise helped people abound.  Images and videos are STILL being traded.    There seems be a movement trying to get Disney to buy the game.

Meanwhile the news isn't good for NCSoft itself.   A long New York Post article tells the tale of the game and its shutdown, complete with apocalyptic pictures of the destruction of the game world.   Nothing like that actually happened, but they did have some bizarre events -- with every arch villain and giant monster in the game being thrown at people, usually in Atlas Park where the torchlight vigils were held on every server.

Mercedes Lackey, a long time player of the game, was interviewed by the Korean Times.  In the article she is quoted as saying  “I think canceling a game that is making a profit, along with destroying jobs and an online community, is entirely unethical. And I believe that companies that do that are going to get exactly what they deserve, as customers revolt over greed killing cool.”

Finally several sources are reporting that NCSoft Seattle offices have started letting some people go, calling it a "realignment".   Meanwhile their stock prices continue the downward trend.  On  9/8 , when the Unity Rally that created the Atlas Park 33 occured,  the stock price was 286500.   Yesterday it closed at 158500.  Since the announcement on City was released, it has lost nearly HALF its value.

So far NCSoft has shown no interest in selling the property.   I can only imagine that this is because they desire not to give someone else a property to compete with their current games.    While some City of Heroes players are playing GuildWars 2, many have no trust in NCSoft and have joined the Boycott of the corporation.

How long can this go on?