Shift Up, the developer behind the action-packed game Stellar Blade, has announced a record-breaking financial year in 2024. The game, which brought in a staggering $43.2 million in royalties, has significantly contributed to the company's success. Shift Up's financial report for 2024 revealed a total revenue of $151.4 million, marking a 30.4% increase from the previous year.
The momentum shows no signs of slowing down, as Shift Up anticipates that the upcoming PC version of Stellar Blade will surpass the sales of the original PlayStation 5 release. The company is particularly optimistic about the performance in the Asian gaming market. Additionally, Shift Up is set to unveil its new project, Project Witches, in the first half of 2025. While fans eagerly await a sequel to Stellar Blade, Project Witches was announced shortly after the PS5 version's launch in 2024, indicating a different direction for the studio.
Despite no immediate plans for a Stellar Blade sequel, Shift Up has expressed interest in expanding the franchise in the future. Stellar Blade immerses players in the role of Eve, who engages in fast-paced action role-playing combat to reclaim Earth from unknown invaders. The game received a 7/10 rating from IGN, praised for its action mechanics but critiqued for its characters, story, and some RPG elements.
"Stellar Blade is great in all of the most important ways for an action game, but dull characters, a lackluster story, and several frustrating elements of its RPG mechanics prevent it from soaring along with the best of the genre," IGN noted in their review. Despite these criticisms, the game quickly sold a million copies, underscoring its popularity among gamers.
