All articles tagged with #shift up
Shift Up released a new trailer for Stellar Blade: Complete Edition on Nintendo Switch 2, previewing its post-apocalyptic action-adventure with EVE, upgraded combat, and Joy-Con 2 motion controls, with a late-2026 release window.
Shift Up CEO Kim Hyung Tae defends an AI-generated music video for Stellar Blade: Blood Rain, insisting Evie was created by the studio’s artists and only rendered by AI from their designs. Fans call the clip slop, question whether the AI was trained on others’ work, and point to inconsistencies in Evie’s appearance and costume. The backlash marks Shift Up’s first major defensive stance since Stellar Blade’s launch, even as the CEO argues AI can help smaller studios compete with larger teams.
Shift Up CEO Kim Hyung Tae defended the AI-generated music video for Stellar Blade: Blood Rain, explaining that EVIE was created by human artists and modelers and that the AI simply renders the character from their designs. He urged fans to view the video with that context and argued that AI is essential for development and competition, noting the studio’s sizable team and that Stellar Blade is targeting a 2027 release as it continues to experiment with AI content.
Shift-Up promotes Stellar Blade 2 with a fully AI-generated K-Pop music video featuring the game's protagonist Evie, signaling AI-driven marketing as the release approaches.
Stellar Blade: BLOOD RAIN introduces Evie, a younger, smaller protagonist with a tougher, more aggressive personality, leading a special squad in a cyberpunk city. Her combat emphasizes close-range punches, grapples, and rapid movement, offering a distinct feel from the original game while the developers push deeper character development and explore themes around humanity, artificial intelligence, and tech, with Evie’s story closely linked to Eve to maintain continuity.
The Stellar Blade: Blood Rain trailer sparked online debate over Evie’s youthful appearance, but Shift Up CEO Hyung-tae Kim defends the design, saying players will connect with her personality and combat when they play, and hints at even more appealing outfits for Evie in the sequel.
Fans argue that the Blood Rain reveal trailer for Stellar Blade uses generative AI, pointing to AI-generated visuals and nonsensical signage; developers say the game is early in development and placeholders may be replaced, but the debate over AI’s role in game creation remains heated.
Stellar Blade: Blood Rain’s reveal trailer has sparked online debate over AI-generated assets, with fans claiming elements in the trailer and even key art appear AI-generated or nonsensical, prompting questions about the visuals in the game’s world. The scrutiny is bolstered by Shift Up CEO Hyung-tae Kim’s past praise of genAI for speeding development, and Kotaku has reached out for comment without an immediate reply.
Shift Up revealed Stellar Blade: Blood Rain at Summer Game Fest Live, introducing a new melee‑focused protagonist in a dystopian cyberpunk setting. The trailer suggests brutal combat and a provocative jacket-removal moment; the game is described as in early development and is not Sony‑published, with Shift Up pursuing a first‑party service model to market the Stellar Blade IP more directly.
Shift Up revealed Stellar Blade: Blood Rain, a PS5 sequel in early development that introduces a new protagonist Evie and a melee-focused combat system, expanding the Stellar Blade universe with a debut trailer.
SHIFT UP announced Stellar Blade: BLOOD RAIN, the next chapter in the Stellar Blade universe, introducing a new protagonist Evie; platforms and release date were not announced, and the game will be self-published, continuing the series' stylish action and world-building.
Shift Up will self-publish Stellar Blade 2 under a first-party service model, aiming for a simultaneous PC and PS5 release, signaling a platform strategy shift as PC sales continue to drive the franchise with details to be revealed later this year.
Shift Up signals that the next Stellar Blade is unlikely to be PS5 exclusive, opting for self-publishing to reach a global audience from day one. In its Q1 2026 report, the developer outlines a first‑party service model to better market the IP and expand to PC, Xbox, and Switch 2, with details to be revealed later this year. The move follows the first game's PC success and broader interest in non‑Sony platforms, suggesting the franchise may go multi‑platform beyond PS5.
Shift Up plans to self-publish Stellar Blade's sequel and push for a broad global audience, actively exploring multi-platform launches (including potential Switch 2) beyond the PS5-exclusive original, with continued promotions as part of its long-term IP strategy.
Shift Up says Stellar Blade 2 is in development for PS5 and will be self-published this year, with detailed info to be revealed within 2026; the studio is expanding its IP portfolio and marketing independence, and it’s also bringing Shinji Mikami’s next title to market.