Stellar Blade was a blockbuster success for a lot of reasons. It’s a great action game, Eve is an incredibly pretty albeit generic main character, and it delivered a new IP at a time when folks so desperately needed one. It was also a major exclusive title for the PS5, with Sony helping to both publish and fund development of Shift Up’s first console effort.
I remember watching its debut trailer during a PlayStation Showcase and being immediately transfixed by an alluring sci-fi world and an android protagonist who had the potential to lead a seriously interesting narrative. The reality was a cheap facsimile of Nier: Automata, but this fascination remained right up until the final release. Stellar Blade felt like a breath of fresh air and a game that PlayStation desperately needed to stand out in a very dry generation.
This exclusive identity certainly helped Stellar Blade make its mark on the world, but it’s only gone on to experience greater success since leaving Sony’s machine behind. Recently, Shift Up even boasted about how well its game performed on PC compared to similar, far more established, titles that have made the jump in recent years.
How Well Did Stellar Blade Perform On PC?
Stellar Blade launched for the PC back in June, with Shift Up recently confirming in an investor presentation that this version sold more than one million copies in three days, with a grand total of three million sold across both platforms. Incredible numbers for literally any game, let alone a new IP not dependent on existing characters.
The presentation — rather cheekily — also directly compared the Stellar Blade sales figures with other first-party Sony titles that have launched on PC in recent years, such as The Last of Us Parts 1 & 2, Horizon Zero Dawn, Days Gone, and Spider-Man.
Helldivers 2 is nowhere to be seen, but considering it launched for both platforms simultaneously, some might argue its presence isn’t relevant. Regardless, Stellar Blade is a bigger hit than several major properties helmed by Sony, and when you consider the audience it actively courted on PC, that success is hardly surprising.
You might have noticed that Eve in Stellar Blade doesn’t wear a lot of clothes. In fact, one of the game’s primary selling points is being able to dress up this literal doll in a variety of cute yet risqué outfits. The PS5 version offered dozens of costumes for players to unlock, with its arsenal of gooner cosmetics only growing larger with major updates and crossover DLC. On PC though, mods become a possibility, and in a game like this, they can change everything.
I’m not the target audience for installing breast size modifiers and nude filters, but I have to imagine a small subset of players definitely use the PC version for this purpose. Some likely already played the console release and saw this port as an excuse to venture far deeper into their Eve obsession. It’s a solid action game, but ultimately a pretty soulless experience once Eve’s sexualisation is brought into question.
But what does this collection of passionate fans have to do with Stellar Blade 2 seemingly going multiplatform? Well, everything.
Stellar Blade 2 Doesn’t Need PlayStation To Succeed
Beginning life as a PS5 exclusive, Stellar Blade likely encouraged thousands of gamers to pick up the console if they hadn’t already. Hype for the game was relatively high prior to its release, and it became a regular source of internet discourse. So when it finally came along, loads of people were jumping in and talking about it. Sony might have helped bring Stellar Blade to life at first, but it has slowly but surely eclipsed this identity to be its own thing.
We have seen this with the success of the PC version and recent reveal that the sequel is going to launch across multiple platforms instead of only PlayStation. Shift Up likely has the capital, development talent, and industry reputation to make that move and only grow as a consequence. Those passionate fans I mentioned earlier are going to follow Stellar Blade 2 wherever it lands, and will scream from the rooftops about how gorgeous Eve is whether or not they’re playing on PS5 or Nintendo Switch 2.
It feels comparable to Death Stranding 2: On the Beach, which arrived earlier this year as a PS5 exclusive, despite the previous game moving to Xbox and PC after its PS exclusive launch. You can also throw Final Fantasy 7 Remake and Rebirth on the pile, which are slowly moving to other platforms, so more people can play them (and Square Enix can make additional profits). All of these games are flying in the face of console-exclusive rules that are increasingly out of touch with each passing day.
Back when it launched, I’d argue the PS5 needed Stellar Blade more than Shift Up needed the console itself. Yes, Sony helped out with publishing and development costs, but it was also in dire need of a first-party exclusive during a time when its own output is at a historic low. Stellar Blade sold systems, started conversations, and made people around the world care. And its sequel is going to do exactly the same, but it won’t be confined to PS5 this time around.
Stellar Blade
3.5/5
- Released
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April 26, 2024
- ESRB
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M for Mature
- Developer(s)
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Shift Up
- Publisher(s)
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Sony Interactive Entertainment
