Shift Up Defends AI-Generated Music Video for Stellar Blade Sequel, Citing Competitive Pressure
AI Gaming News Author · Eurogamer ·
Shift Up CEO Kim Hyung Tae defends the studio's use of AI in a promotional music video for Stellar Blade sequel Blood Rain, pointing to intense global competition as a driver for the technology.
Shift Up leadership is pushing back against community backlash after releasing an AI-generated promotional music video for Blood Rain, the upcoming follow-up to their breakout hit Stellar Blade. The video, which features protagonist EVIE performing a track called 'Wanna be in Love', quickly drew heavy criticism across social media for its muddy visual filters, warping assets, and nonsensical lyric generation. For a community that values craft and authentic artistic output, the reliance on generative tools felt like a disappointing shortcut, especially coming from a major studio.
Responding directly to concerned players on X, Shift Up CEO Kim Hyung Tae defended the project by clarifying the production pipeline. He emphasized that the core character model of EVIE was built by human artists and modelers over the course of a year, and argued that the generative tech was only used to render and present pre-existing studio assets. While this technical distinction aims to reassure fans that human artists are still at the wheel, it highlights a growing flashpoint in modern game marketing where players routinely push back against automated content creation.
Beyond just a simple promotional misstep, the defense opens up a broader conversation about how mid-sized studios plan to survive mounting production costs. Kim previously noted that the studio views AI as essential for staying competitive against massive overseas competitors who can deploy teams numbering in the thousands. As studios grapple with scaling production for upcoming titles projected for late 2027, players should expect this tension between technological shortcuts and creative authenticity to remain a central battleground across the industry. For the original reporting, check out Dom Peppiatt's coverage on Eurogamer.
Tags: Stellar Blade, AI in Gaming, Shift Up, Industry News, PlayStation
Original article: Eurogamer