Stellar Blade Studio Rewards Employees with Bonuses and PS5 Pro Consoles

Shift Up, the developer behind the acclaimed action-adventure game Stellar Blade, generously rewarded its employees with a PlayStation 5 Pro and a substantial bonus of approximately $3,400 each. This celebratory gesture followed the game's remarkable success since its April 2024 launch.

Stellar Blade's popularity continues to soar, fueled by several high-profile collaborations. Despite initial controversy surrounding the protagonist's attire, the game achieved widespread critical acclaim, boasting an 82 average score on OpenCritic and numerous awards and nominations. Its fast-paced combat, striking art style, and memorable soundtrack have garnered significant praise. The game's success is further underscored by a recent claim from Nier creator Yoko Taro (which the Stellar Blade director disputes) that it surpasses NieR: Automata in quality.

Shift Up shared a heartwarming video on Twitter showcasing employees receiving their PlayStation 5 Pros. All 300+ employees received this bonus, along with the sizable monetary reward. The company stated that these generous bonuses aim to incentivize and motivate its workforce. This follows Shift Up's impressive $320 million fundraising on the South Korean stock market in July 2024, marking the second-largest IPO of the year in the country.

Shift Up Rewards Employees for Stellar Blade's Success

Stellar Blade's momentum shows no signs of slowing. Recent collaborations, including a Nier: Automata crossover in November 2024 offering new in-game content, and a future collaboration with Goddess of Victory: Nikke, have kept the game in the spotlight. A holiday event in mid-December further enhanced the player experience with festive decorations, music, and costumes.

Initially a PlayStation 5 exclusive, Stellar Blade is slated for a PC release in 2025. Shift Up announced its intention to port the game in June 2024, anticipating strong performance on the PC platform. The PS5 version achieved impressive sales, reaching one million units sold within its first two months.