Investors Found Stellar Blade Too Risky
Stellar Blade is considered one of Shift Up’s most important games today, both for its sales success and the positive reviews it has received. However, according to the company CEO, Hyung-Tae Kim, the picture was not so bright during the development process. Shift Up received negative responses from many companies while seeking investment to keep the project afloat, and at one point, the development team only had enough money to fund three more months.
Stellar Blade Was More of a Risk Than an Asset for Investors
Hyung-Tae Kim stated that during investment meetings, Stellar Blade was seen not as an opportunity for the company, but rather as a serious risk. He mentioned that some investors thought the game wouldn’t even cover its costs, and that the team was openly asked, “Why are you making such a game?” Some investors even suggested that if the project were abandoned, Shift Up would be seen as a more valuable company.
This pressure also affected the company’s management. Kim states that even he wasn’t sure about his decisions at the time and questioned whether developing such a game in Korea was the right thing to do. The increasingly difficult financial situation further fueled these concerns, as the studio only had enough funds to cover employee salaries for a few months.
The turning point came when Sony and PlayStation got involved in the project. Stellar Blade was later released as a timed exclusive for PlayStation and then came to PC. Looking at the current situation, it can be said that Sony’s support played a significant role in the project’s survival. Shift Up can now work on the sequel under much more comfortable conditions.
The resulting story shows how precarious Stellar Blade’s success was. The game, which has become a strong brand today, was considered a potentially unprofitable project by investors just a few years ago. Shift Up’s refusal to give up on the project and their eventual support from Sony seems to have completely changed the game’s fate.
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