Shift Up’s Stellar Blade took home 7 Awards at the Korean Game Awards on Nov.13, including Best Graphics, Character and Sound Design.
Shift Up's PlayStation 5 title Stellar Blade took home seven different awards at the Korean Game Awards on Nov. 13, almost half of the total tally. It marked a victory for South Korea's rising console scene, plus included an individual award for Stellar Blade Director Kim Hyung-Tae.
Stellar Blade was Shift Up's first ever attempt at a triple AAA title and their first console game. Stellar Blade has sold over 1 million copies so far in its first six months, with a PC release coming in 2025.
It is the second year in a row Shift Up has been honored at the South Korean awards. In 2023, Shift Up received the Excellence Award and the Technology Creation Award (Character Category) for their mobile title; Goddess of Victory: NIKKE.
Stellar Blade wins 7 Awards for Graphics, Sound and Character
Stellar Blade won a total of 7 Awards at the Korean Game Awards including the Award for Character Design, Best Graphics and Sound Design.
- Character Design
- Sound Design
- Best Graphics
- Excellence Award
- Planning and Scenario
- Popularity Game Award
- Outstanding Developer Award
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"Stellar Blade is not over yet" says Director Kim Hyung-Tae
The Outstanding Developer Award was given to Stellar Blade Director Kim Hyung-Tae. The South Korean game developer took to the stage to receive his award.
"When we first created Stellar Blade, many people expressed concerns about whether we could make a console game in Korea and achieve meaningful results," said Kim Hyung-Tae, Stellar Blade's Director (via YouthDaily). "But with the help of all the staff and game officials, we were able to achieve good results.”
“Stellar Blade is not over yet. We are preparing many updates in the future, so please look forward to it," he added. “Next time, we will make an even better game and even win the grand prize.”
The next big upcoming Stellar Blade update drops on Nov. 20 and introduces NieR: Automata's main characters 2B and A2 to the world of Stellar Blade. Skins for both characters will be introduced along with other unique collaborative items. What is more, Shift Up confirmed Stellar Blade is coming to PC in 2025.
The grand prize Kim Hyung-Tae was referring to was the Grand Presidential Award which was given to Solo Leveling: ARISE.
Kim Hyung-Tae has been an vocal spokesperson for Stellar Blade, with the game enduring many controversies in and around its launch. All of which he has navigated perfectly, and for the most part were all out of his control.
These included player outrage at the unexpected Stellar Blade outfit censorship, the controversial Stellar Blade Skin Suit, the infamous IGN France's Stellar Blade review - which IGN France later apologised for - and the unintentional "Hard R" graffiti controversy.
A win for console gaming in South Korea
Stellar Blade's success at the Korean Game Awards is even more impressive considering it is Shift Up's first console game. Shift Up's previous titles were all mobile games, the dominant platform for gaming in South Korea, until recently.
According to a 2023 survey, interest in mobile gaming in South Korea dropped from 62.9% in 2022 to 53.2% in 2023. In contrast, console gaming usage saw a massive surge during the same period, going from 1.8% to 15.1% in just 1 year.
Shift Up are working on a new upcoming triple AAA game called Project Witches set for a 2027 release. Shift Up announced they plan to invest 101 billion won ($71 million) into the game between 2024 and 2027.
