Latest news with #StellarBlade
The Hindu
a day ago
- Entertainment
- The Hindu
Stellar Blade PC — killer fashion on your screen
Do you hear a faint cheer in the distance? That is the sound of modders (a person who makes modifications especially to computer hardware or software) across the world rejoicing as Stellar Blade, and its glamorous protagonist Eve, finally arrive on PC. While you, the player, get to save the world at a buttery 144Hz, the modding community is already working on cooking up some alternative wardrobe choices. If you have somehow missed the hype train, Stellar Blade is a high-octane action game that fuses the graceful combat of Bayonetta with the existential melancholy of Nier: Automata, all soaked in a hyper-stylised K-pop visual filter. It is a strange combination, but on the PC, does it really shine or just shimmer? Earth is no longer ours. Taken over by the mysterious Naytibas, a grotesque, otherworldly race that appeared from nowhere, its surface lies in ruins, forcing what is left of humanity to retreat underground or flee to orbit. Enter Eve, an elite soldier from Airborne Squad 7, launched from space as her entire fleet is wiped out mid-drop. As the sole survivor, she is alone, outgunned, and possibly overdressed. Armed with nothing but a sword, her mission is clear: reclaim the planet. What follows is a journey through crumbling cities and monster-infested wastelands, as Eve reconnects with the last scraps of humanity, uncovers the truth behind the Naytibas, and stylishly dismantles an army of terrifying bosses, all the while unlocking increasingly questionable battle outfits. From the jump, it is clear Stellar Blade is cosplaying Nier: Automata, swapping android existentialism for Naytiba nightmares, but keeping the same moodboard — haunting ruins and stoic heroines. The result feels like a greatest hits album of action game tropes, stitched together with confidence and a whole lot of style. It works, mostly. The difference is, Nier had real emotional weight beneath its glossy exterior. It asked big questions, told a layered story and delivered unforgettable characters. Stellar Blade, on the other hand, is more of a surface-level tribute. The characters are drop-dead gorgeous, the cutscenes are cinematic and technically flawless, but with a missing emotional core, save for that excellent opening hook. Eve is a good heroine, but with the costume angle, it seems to degrade the cast to mannequins dressed in aesthetic armour, strutting around in a post-apocalyptic catwalk. That said, not every game needs to make you cry into your controller. Like Bayonetta, Stellar Blade thrives on spectacle over substance and it absolutely delivers on that front. Just do not go in expecting a soul-searching quest. What you get instead is some of the slickest, sharpest combat of the year. At this point, Sekiro's parry mechanic is a copy paste staple across almost every new title. Clair Obscur turn-based systems thrived on it, almost comically so. The new Nioh's just joined the party, but Stellar Blade has been rocking the mechanic for a while, and Eve parries with style. The combat is a combination of timed parries, think Devil May Cry swordplay with the grace of Bayonetta with the addition of Mass Effect like skills, which you can trigger to unleash some damaging attacks. All of this works really well together, and over the months Shift UP has streamlined the battle systems and with the PC version, its action is way higher. Killing hellish aliens with style is even better with smooth decapitations and hair that never frizzes no matter how many monsters die in geysers of blood. The PC version of Stellar Blade is top notch, thanks to Sony's track record of excellent ports. If you have the right hardware, games such as the Horizon series are an absolute feast for the eyes. Stellar Blade PC is bristling with so much new technology support, even the latest frame generation if you have the newer Nvidia cards. Stellar Blade PC Publisher: Sony Developer: Shift Up Price: ₹4999 (approx on Steam) That said, it is even optimised for older cards and the game looks amazing on the Steam Deck and other PC based portables. This is good news for those looking at getting the new Xbox ROG handheld, that lets you play Steam games as well. The port-to-PC does not just bring high frame rates, it also comes with a fresh batch of costumes, including crossover outfits from Nikke and Nier: Automata. Yes, you can now slice through monstrosities as 2B herself, in a cosmic fashion crossover nobody saw coming, but everyone clicked on. And while the whole 'collect every questionable outfit' angle continues to dominate social media, what gets lost in the noise is that Stellar Blade is actually a solid action game. Its mechanics, combat flow, enemy design and moment-to-moment rhythm, deserve just as much virality as its wardrobe. The game has more than enough polish, precision, and creativity to stand on its own, but still seems to fall back on objectification to grab attention. What it could be selling — tight design, slick systems, and actual fun — is already more than enough to turn heads. If you are looking for an excellent action game with a really good character as its core, Stellar Blade hits all the right buttons. While it may feel like a patchwork blanket of all the games it is inspired by, you get to experience all those games through its glitzy K-coloured lens. It is especially good if you want to take this action game across your kitted-out rig to your portable Steam Deck for some action on the go.
Forbes
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Forbes
An Update On ‘Stellar Blade 2' After Its PC Success
Stellar Blade Stellar Blade recently topped 3 million sales since release, and 1 million sales in the three days after it launched on PC, putting up nearly 200,000 concurrents, and besting PlayStation's previous PC-porting records. Even before the PC release, we already knew that because Stellar Blade was a hit, it would be getting a sequel. Now, SHIFTUP is starting to talk about it, despite the fact that it will likely be at least until 2027 until we see it. Asked by Korean outlet ThisisGame about its 'somewhat disappointing' Stellar Blade narrative, SHIFTUP CEO Kim Hyung-tae talked about what happened with the game and what will change for the sequel in that area. The issue was that the gameplay itself was finished relatively early, but they were playing catch-up with narrative elements like cutscenes. The original plan was more 'detailed settings,' which would include things like explanations of why characters in the story change outfits and boosted stories outside the main narrative, but ultimately those were reduced in order to finish the game. Apparently, they may have even considered adding some of those scrapped scenes after launch, but they thought it would derail the existing story. However, Kim Hyung-tae says that is top of mind and a priority for the sequel: 'I think we will be able to present it with a sufficiently rich narrative," he says. FEATURED | Frase ByForbes™ Unscramble The Anagram To Reveal The Phrase Pinpoint By Linkedin Guess The Category Queens By Linkedin Crown Each Region Crossclimb By Linkedin Unlock A Trivia Ladder Stellar Blade The idea that the Stellar Blade sequel will be out in 2027 is up in the air, it seems: 'To be honest, we've been fully committed to releasing the PC version following the PS version, so now is the time to do proper R&D. It would be great if it came out in 2027, but there are only three years left, so I can only say that we'll do our best. However, I can guarantee that we'll present a great work.' He was also asked about the idea of merging worlds like Stellar Blade, Nikke and the upcoming Project Spirit, but he says 'for the sake of the independence of the IPs' there are no plans to do that, short of the kinds of fun, one-off collaborations we've already seen, Nikke being the most recent. If all of SHIFTUP's efforts have been channeled into the PC version right now, and work will only be just getting starting on Stellar Blade 2, it does seem likely that 2027 may not be possible, simply given the production schedule of AAA games, and the likelihood of attempting to make the sequel bigger. Whenever it comes, that will be launching on the next console generation, though likely not just on PlayStation like we just saw. A PS6, Steam and Xbox Whatever release would be more likely. I wouldn't expect too many more sequel updates soon, and right now, SHIFTUP can start spooling it up after this big PC launch. Follow me on Twitter, YouTube, Bluesky and Instagram. Pick up my sci-fi novels the Herokiller series and The Earthborn Trilogy.
Metro
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Metro
Stellar Blade dev gifts Switch 2 to staff as Nintendo port rumoured
A Switch 2 version of Stellar Blade is rumoured to be in development, as creator Shift Up celebrates the game's latest sales milestone. According to the latest sales figures, Stellar Blade has surpassed three million copies sold, across PlayStation 5 and PC, since it launched in April last year. The action game's success prompted Korean developer Shift Up to gift all 311 of its employees a PS5 Pro at the start of 2025, along with a cash bonus, and now the studio has handed out another console to celebrate its latest milestone. As reported by Korean outlet Gameple, Shift Up has given a Nintendo Switch 2 to over 300 former and current staff, in what it describes as 'performance-based compensation'. 'Shift Up is creating an environment where employees can demonstrate their best abilities through performance-based compensation, and this Switch 2 payment is also part of our encouragement for excellent talents who have achieved outstanding results,' a Shift Up spokesperson told the outlet (via machine translation). Many fans believe this Switch 2 celebration might be indicative of the studio's future plans. According to Korean outlet PlayForum, Shift Up has begun development on a Switch 2 version of Stellar Blade, as the studio looks to expand its reach to more platforms. It's claimed the studio has received a Switch 2 development kit and has begun work on the title. Speaking to the outlet, a spokesperson for Shift Up said 'nothing has been confirmed regarding the development of the Nintendo Switch 2' – which isn't exactly a denial. Sign up to the GameCentral newsletter for a unique take on the week in gaming, alongside the latest reviews and more. Delivered to your inbox every Saturday morning. ⚪️Today, Shift Up gifted all its employees a Nintendo Switch 2 to celebrate #StellarBlade surpassing 3M sales! ✨✨🎉Previously the company gave PS5s in 2021 and PS5 Pros in 2025 🎮🔹Shift Up keeps rewarding and cultivating what matters most: their people 🩶 — Stellar Blade/ NIKKE / Destiny Child/ 🙏 + 🎲 = 🍑 (@ShiftUpWorld) June 18, 2025 In Shift Up's recent financial report, the studio stated its intention to put Stellar Blade on more platforms. While they didn't name any specifically, and this was prior to the launch of the PC version, it's certainly possible this could relate to the Xbox Series X/S and Switch 2. More Trending Stellar Blade launched as a PlayStation 5 exclusive, with the title being published by Sony. However, Shift Up owns the rights to the IP, so despite being funded by Sony, this means the title can jump to other platforms – much like how Death Stranding, a Sony-published title developed by Kojima Productions, was eventually released on Xbox. However, if Shift Up does have a Switch 2 devkit, it's entirely possible the studio is cooking up another game for the console. Earlier this year, the team announced it was developing a new IP codenamed Project Spirits, which is set to be released in 2027 for PC and mobile. While Stellar Blade is a graphically demanding title, other current gen games are also coming out for the console – albeit with visual downgrades. Ubisoft is set to release a Switch 2 version of Star Wars Outlaws in September, for example. A potential Switch 2 version could feature additional extras, after the game's director, Kim Hyung-tae, recently admitted that they had to cut story sequences during development. Email gamecentral@ leave a comment below, follow us on Twitter. To submit Inbox letters and Reader's Features more easily, without the need to send an email, just use our Submit Stuff page here. For more stories like this, check our Gaming page. MORE: Games Inbox: What is the worst modern video game? MORE: Mario Kart World's soundtrack is fantastic – here are the best songs MORE: Bungie delays Marathon to next year – developers only found out today
Forbes
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Forbes
‘Stellar Blade' Rockets To A Million PC Sales In Three Days
Stellar Blade If you wanted evidence that a game with wide appeal being locked into a single console in a single generation is perhaps not ideal, look no further than the launch of the PC version of Stellar Blade. Developer SHIFTUP has just announced that Stellar Blade has sold a million copies on PC in just three days of launch, which has brought the total up to 3 million sales since its release in April 2024, a 50% jump almost instantly. The game has seen a huge boost overseas, particularly in China where reportedly 58% of copies have been sold. The game is also cheaper there compared to the $60 dollar version in the US. Previously, PlayStation's Shuhei Yoshida has said China in particular is a driving force behind these PlayStation PC ports. Here's Yoshida speaking to Sacred Symbols earlier this year: The global sales surge has been evidenced by a sky-high concurrent playercount that topped 190,000 this weekend. The new version is reviewing very positively, a 92% ratio on Steam and an 86 metacritic score. FEATURED | Frase ByForbes™ Unscramble The Anagram To Reveal The Phrase Pinpoint By Linkedin Guess The Category Queens By Linkedin Crown Each Region Crossclimb By Linkedin Unlock A Trivia Ladder Stellar Blade Even before this PC launch, Stellar Blade was a big success for SHIFTUP, this being the developer's first AAA game, where that, combined with being a new IP, made the achievement all the more impressive. SHIFTUP has confirmed that in addition to further updates to the base game (of which there have been many) that a sequel is planned for 2027, most likely, though details are scarce about what that might look like. It remains to be seen if that sequel will once again be a PlayStation exclusive, and there are no announced plans to eventually get the game over to Xbox, which is no great surprise. The PC audience is likely expansion enough for Sony, and this has almost tripled the previous record for a PC port of one of its formerly exclusive games (Ghost of Tsushima). Sony's current plan is to release most of its big AAA single player games on PC eventually, but that day can be years. Multiplayer games, however, are launching day and date on PC, which has been successful with Helldivers 2, albeit that remains its only major success in its recent live service push. Stellar Blade, in addition to proving that PC is a huge market for certain games, has also helped push the narrative that people want original, single player games instead of endless rehashes and live services. Even so, we don't see success at this level that often. Follow me on Twitter, YouTube, Bluesky and Instagram. Pick up my sci-fi novels the Herokiller series and The Earthborn Trilogy.
Metro
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Metro
Stellar Blade's story is 'weak' admits director but there's a reason why
The director behind Stellar Blade has opened up about its shortcomings, as the action game tops three million sales worldwide. Despite the controversy around the design of its lead protagonist, Stellar Blade was one of the best surprises of last year. However, like other great action games in the same mould, à la Bayonetta and Devil May Cry, the story isn't exactly its strong suit – even though there are dramatic cut scenes scattered throughout, attempting to make some sort of sense of it all. Stellar Blade's director and Shift Up CEO, Kim Hyung-tae, has discussed the game's narrative during a new interview, where he openly admits that the story is 'weak'. Speaking in an interview with This Is Game, Hyung-tae was asked about the negative feedback levelled at Stellar Blade's narrative. 'I think it is true that the story is weak,' Hyung-tae replied (via machine translation). 'The game's core play system was completed relatively early, but the thing that held us back the most was the cut scenes. In an action game that carries the narrative, cut scenes play a very important role in storytelling. It is difficult to convey the entire story with action alone. 'That is why we have to carry the narrative through cut scenes, but at first, we tried to make a lot of settings and cut scenes.' Sign up to the GameCentral newsletter for a unique take on the week in gaming, alongside the latest reviews and more. Delivered to your inbox every Saturday morning. The director explained that planned cut scenes which provided more context on Stellar Blade's world were pulled during development, due to high production costs. 'In the early stages of development, we planned to include detailed settings such as the reason the main character changes clothes in the story,' he added. 'However, as production progressed, the cost of producing cutscenes became too much, and eventually, for the sake of efficiency, we had no choice but to reduce cut scenes that supplemented the world view or character narratives outside of the main plot. 'That's how we were barely able to complete the game. It's also because the development manpower pool or system for narrative-centred games has not yet been fully established in Korea.' The director hopes to present a 'sufficiently rich narrative' in the sequel, which is targeting a 2027 launch. Stellar Blade was originally going to receive story DLC, but as confirmed by Hyung-tae, these plans were rolled into the next game. 'As we were preparing the DLC, the volume grew more than expected, so we changed direction and proceeded with the next work,' he said. 'However, there have been many changes since then.' It's not really the quantity of cut scenes that's an issue though, but the quality, and ironically having to limit the number may have helped the game. So the idea of having more in the sequel is not necessarily something to be welcomed. Stellar Blade launched on PC last week and has already proven to be a big hit on the platform, sitting in the top five of Steam's most played games over the past 24 hours (via SteamDB). Over the weekend, the game racked up a 24 hour concurrent peak player count of 192,078, which is far higher than Sony's other published PC ports like God Of War Ragnarök (35,615) and Spider-Man (66,436) – although it's popularity is likely driven by its popularity in Asia. More Trending Recently, developer Shift Up announced Stellar Blade has surpassed three million units sold across PlayStation 5 and PC, with one million copies sold within three days on Steam alone. The PC version opens the floodgates to fan mods, something which Hyung-tae encourages, although he'd prefer to see fan creations which change the gameplay in some way. 'Since we don't provide official modding tools, it's hard to change the entire game, but we're looking forward to seeing mods that slightly change the way you enjoy the game,' he said. 'Of course, mods like new costumes or monster visuals are cool, but I think it would be really welcome if there were mods that expand the user's play experience itself.' Email gamecentral@ leave a comment below, follow us on Twitter. To submit Inbox letters and Reader's Features more easily, without the need to send an email, just use our Submit Stuff page here. For more stories like this, check our Gaming page. MORE: The Witcher 4 designed for PS5 and not PC after 'so many problems' scaling down MORE: Nintendo Switch 2 sales numbers smash records in the US and worldwide MORE: Red Dead Redemption 2 actor teases news this week as fans hope for Switch 2 port
