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Stellar Blade
Stellar Blade is an action-adventure game developed by SHIFT UP, released for PS5 in April 2024 and for PC in June 2025. A sequel, Stellar Blade: Blood Rain, is in development and set for self-publishing, with a Switch 2 version of the original slated for release in late 2026.
Synthesized from 8
Yomimono stories · updated
Aug 30
Stellar Blade began as SHIFT UP's console debut, released for PS5 in April 2024 and for PC in June 2025. The game follows Eve, a member of a space colony unit, fighting to reclaim Earth from creatures called Natives. Director and CEO Kim Hyung-tae, who founded SHIFT UP in 2013 after leaving NCsoft, has been a central figure in the game's promotion.
At Summer Game Fest 2026, SHIFT UP announced the sequel, Stellar Blade: Blood Rain, shifting to self-publishing. The company aims to surpass the original by approaching users directly. The sequel introduces a new protagonist, identified by most sources as a short-haired woman named Evie, though one source suggests it could be Lily, the mechanic from the first game. Platforms and release timing for the sequel have not been announced.
A music video for the sequel's song "Wanna be in LOVE" Feat. Evie, released on July 31, drew criticism for its use of AI assistance. CEO Kim Hyung-tae responded that the character Evie was built by the studio's artists and modelers over more than a year, and that AI did not create her from scratch. The sequel's development is reported to be progressing smoothly toward its quality targets. A fabricated call for credit card regulation targeting the sequel was debunked as a troll post.
The Nintendo Switch 2 version of Stellar Blade Complete Edition will be playable by the public at Tokyo Game Show 2026, with a special stage featuring Kim Hyung-tae on September 20. The Switch 2 version is scheduled for release within 2026, and the original's Switch 2 version is set for late 2026.
Key facts
- Original release
- Stellar Blade was released for PS5 in April 2024 and for PC in June 2025. ↗
- Sequel announcement
- Stellar Blade: Blood Rain was announced at Summer Game Fest 2026. ↗
- Sequel self-publishing
- SHIFT UP is self-publishing Stellar Blade: Blood Rain. ↗
- Sequel development status
- SHIFT UP reported on August 11 that the sequel is progressing smoothly toward its quality targets. ↗
- Switch 2 version
- The Nintendo Switch 2 version of Stellar Blade Complete Edition will be playable at TGS 2026, with release scheduled within 2026. ↗
- AI music video backlash
- SHIFT UP released a music video for "Wanna be in LOVE" Feat. Evie on July 31, which drew criticism for AI assistance. ↗
- Protagonist of sequel
- Multiple sources identify the sequel's protagonist as a short-haired woman named Evie. ↗
Timeline
- Aug 27, 2026 Stellar Blade Switch 2 Version Gets First Public Demo at TGS 2026
- Aug 15, 2026 Kim Hyung-tae's Path From Manga Dreamer to SHIFT UP Founder
- Aug 12, 2026 Stellar Blade: Blood Rain Progresses Toward Self-Published Sequel
- Aug 11, 2026 Weekly Game*Spark Ranking: AI Music Video, Mech Market, Dragon's Dogma 2 Lead
- Aug 4, 2026 Stellar Blade: BLOOD RAIN Music Video Draws AI Criticism
- Jun 22, 2026 Stellar Blade Sequel Credit Card Regulation Call Was a Troll
- Jun 7, 2026 Automaton's Weekly Roundup: Ace Combat 8 Release Date, Monster Hunter Wilds DLC, and More
- Jun 5, 2026 Stellar Blade: Bloodrain Announced at Summer Game Fest 2026
Synthesized by Yomimono from the cited Yomimono stories below, each itself
sourced, then editorially reviewed. Every
fact links the story it came from.
Facts
- Release
- game · 2026 · 2026-08-27
- Release
- game · 2026-08-15 · 2026-08-15
- Announced
- public demo at TGS 2026 · 2026-08-27
- Noted
- Claims that overseas forum users urged credit card companies to regulate the upcoming Stellar Blade sequel have been debunked. · 2026-06-22
Connections
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All coverage
1d ago
SHIFT UP CTO Lee Dong-gi commented on the official music video for Stellar Blade: BLOOD RAIN, which drew mixed reactions after its July release over its use of AI generation technology and video quality. In an interview with TheGamer, he said the video was meant to show more of the game's beauty, world, and characters, and that the studio takes the reactions seriously. He said SHIFT UP will clearly separate game-related content from experimental content going forward, and described AI as a tool that should support developers' creativity. Platforms and release timing remain unannounced.
Aug 27
SHIFT UP announced on August 27, 2026, that the Nintendo Switch 2 version of Stellar Blade Complete Edition will be playable for the first time by the general public at Tokyo Game Show 2026. The demo will feature six stations set up in the Sega Partners Corner within the Sega/Atlus Booth (Hall 4/04-N01) at Makuhari Messe. TGS 2026 runs from September 17 to 21, with business days on the 17th and 18th, and public days from the 19th to the 21st. The Switch 2 version is scheduled for release within 2026. A special stage will be held on September 20, featuring Stellar Blade director and SHIFT UP CEO Kim Hyung-tae. The stage will be conducted in Korean with Japanese interpretation and will be livestreamed on Sega's official YouTube channel. Stellar Blade is an action-adventure game where players control Eve, a member of a space colony unit, fighting to reclaim Earth from creatures called Natives. The game was previously released for PS5 in April 2024 and for PC in June 2025.
Aug 15
Game Spark traces Kim Hyung-tae's career from a boy who dreamed of being a manga artist to the founder of SHIFT UP and director of Stellar Blade. The profile covers his early rejection, his work on Magna Carta and Blade & Soul, and his decision to leave NCsoft to found SHIFT UP in 2013.
Aug 12
SHIFT UP reported on August 11 that 'Stellar Blade: Blood Rain' is progressing smoothly toward its quality targets. The sequel, announced at Summer Game Fest 2026, shifts to self-publishing. The company aims to surpass the original by approaching users directly. The Switch 2 version of the original is set for release in late 2026.
Aug 11
Game*Spark's weekly ranking for July 31 to August 6, 2026, lists the top five most-read articles. The list includes backlash over SHIFT UP's AI-generated music video for 'Stellar Blade: BLOOD RAIN', an analysis of Japan's untapped mech game market, and a Q&A revealing new skills and hard mode for 'Dragon's Dogma 2: Dark Arisen'.
Aug 4
SHIFT UP released a music video for "Wanna be in LOVE" Feat. Evie on July 31, tied to the in-development sequel Stellar Blade: BLOOD RAIN. The video, which features protagonist Evie singing and walking through the game's city, was created using game resources and regenerated with AI assistance, as stated in the video description. YouTube's disclosure section notes that audio and visuals were partially modified or entirely generated by AI. The video has drawn criticism from the community, with comments ranging from calls to stop using AI altogether to complaints about low quality, such as Evie's face changing unnaturally and the text "Fairness and Peace" on her suit appearing distorted. Some fans who are not opposed to AI use still reacted negatively, saying "What matters is how AI is used" and "Don't use AI for promotions." SHIFT UP CEO Kim Hyung-tae responded that the character Evie was built over more than a year by the studio's artists and modelers, and that AI did not create her from scratch. The A.I Labs logo appears at the end of the video, and the company has an internal organization focused on AI-driven development efficiency. Platforms and release timing for Stellar Blade: BLOOD RAIN have not been announced.
Jun 22
Claims that overseas forum users urged credit card companies to regulate the upcoming Stellar Blade sequel have been debunked. The post, made on ResetEra, was a trolling attempt that resulted in the user being banned. The forum is not organizing any such call for regulation.
Jun 7
Automaton's 85th weekly roundup highlights seven notable game articles, including the October 2 release of Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve with a pre-order bonus port of Ace Combat Zero, the announcement of Monster Hunter Wilds large DLC Ascendance featuring Kushala Daora and Lao-Shan Lung, and Palworld's official release on July 10 with its biggest update.
Jun 5
SHIFT UP officially announced the sequel to its 2024 action game Stellar Blade during the Summer Game Fest 2026 livestream on June 6. The new title is called Stellar Blade: Bloodrain (also styled Stellar Blade BLOOD RAIN). The trailer showed stylish action scenes and cutscenes with high-fidelity graphics. Multiple sources identify the protagonist as a short-haired woman named Evie, while one source suggests the character may be Lily, the mechanic who supported protagonist Eve in the first game. The footage reportedly uses in-game scenes from the PC version. SHIFT UP has not yet released detailed information about the story, release platforms, or launch window. The announcement was part of the Summer Game Fest 2026 showcase, which streamed at 6:00 AM Japan time.