Stellar Blade Dev Explains New Hero Design, Praises Sony’s Publishing Support
Shift Up’s Hyung-Tae Kim has discussed the upcoming Stellar Blade: Blood Rain in recent interviews with Korean media following the game’s reveal this week. The new action game will introduce a new protagonist, Evie, who replaces the original character Eve—though Kim suggests Eve may still have a role in the game.
The character design is intentional and gameplay-focused. Kim explained that Shift Up deliberately designed Evie to be shorter and younger-looking to maximize the visual impact of the game’s signature close-quarters melee combat. “We worked to ensure that she fights in a very tough manner and gives off a cool and stylish vibe,” he stated.
The design choice has prompted discussion in Western markets, with some questioning whether Evie’s youthful appearance is appropriate, particularly given the original Stellar Blade’s notable sexualized character designs. Kim’s comments frame the decision as a creative choice serving gameplay aesthetics, though the full context of his explanation was not captured in the available excerpt.