The next Stellar Blade probably won’t be PS5 exclusive, as developer Shift Up reveals intention to self-publish and reach a broader audience

Developer Shift Up has announced plans to self-publish Stellar Blade 2, marking a significant shift from the first game’s publishing partnership with Sony Interactive Entertainment. The original Stellar Blade launched as a PlayStation 5 exclusive in April 2024 before receiving a PC port in June 2025.

In its Q1 2026 earnings report, Shift Up revealed that development of the sequel is “progressing smoothly” and on track to meet quality standards. The company will transition to a “first-party service model,” taking publishing duties in-house. This strategic move aims to “lead marketing strategies that fully reflect the distinctive identity of the IP” and allow the game to “reach a broad global audience from day one.”

While Shift Up confirmed the sequel will launch on PlayStation 5, the self-publishing approach strongly suggests Stellar Blade 2 will release simultaneously on multiple platforms rather than as a timed exclusive. This likely includes PC and potentially Xbox platforms. The developer plans to reveal further details about the sequel within 2026.

The shift reflects Shift Up’s significant growth as a studio. The South Korean developer has become self-sufficient enough to handle publishing independently and recently acquired Shinji Mikami’s studio, further expanding its capabilities and ambitions for multiplatform releases.

Sources

• The next Stellar Blade probably won’t be PS5 exclusive, as developer Shift Up reveals intention to self-publish and reach a broader audience
• Stellar Blade studio Shift Up breaks from publishing partner Sony for “high-quality self-publishing”
• Stellar Blade 2 Isn’t Being Published By Sony, And That’s Great News For PC Gamers
• Stellar Blade 2 Won’t Be Published by Sony, Potentially Hinting at Multiplatform Launch
• Shift Up Will Self-Publish The Stellar Blade Sequel To Reach A “Broad Global Audience”
• Stellar Blade 2 might not be a PS5 exclusive at launch
• Stellar Blade 2 PS5 Reveal This Year, But Sony Won’t Publish It
• Shift Up says it will publish Stellar Blade 2 instead of Sony, wants to ‘reach a broad global audience from day one’
• Xbox and PC may get the sequel to this hit PS5 exclusive at launch — its devs are ditching Sony to “reach a broad global audience from day one”