A surprise concept art reveal, a new hiring wave, and bold multi-platform ambitions signal a massive leap for the fast-growing sci-fi action franchise.
The first look at Stellar Blade 2 has been released by Shift Up. It’s just a small piece of concept art, but it’s a surprising start to the reveal cycle for the sequel. The update came out at the same time as a bunch of new job postings, which shows that work is moving quickly on the highly expected follow-up to this year’s surprise sci-fi hit.
In August, in a semi-annual corporate report, the studio revealed that work was already underway on a sequel. Shift Up said in that filing that the next game would be an expansion of the first one, keeping the stylish action gameplay but adding “an expanded world and enhanced mechanics” to make Stellar Blade a long-running series. The game’s director said the team is targeting a 2027 release window, but this is just a guess.
Since there are only three years to build, 2027 may be too far away. As Shift Up works on another project, Project SPUR, which is likely to come out first, many fans think the game will come out closer to 2028. Still, the quick increase in hiring shows that work on Stellar Blade 2 is now in full swing.
A lot of new jobs were created at the company, such as scenario writers, system designers, 3D artists, level designers, composers, technical artists, and more. The new project description that was added to the listings was even more telling. It made it clear that the sequel is an AAA action game that can be played on multiple platforms and builds directly on the world that Stellar Blade created.
A leap forward on multiple platforms.
Shift Up used the term “multi-platform” frequently, which sparked rumors of a much broader release plan. The first Stellar Blade was only available as a PlayStation second-party game, but the new language suggests the second game might not be limited to a single platform. In this case, “multi-platform” could still mean “PS4 and PC,” but the announcement’s tone suggests a broader release across all major systems.
Even more interesting is that Stellar Blade 2 started as a story-focused add-on DLC and later became a full sequel. The company has admitted that the first game’s story wasn’t very good, and director Kim Chong-Tae has made it clear that he wants to improve story development in the second game. Fans have said this before: many liked the original’s fighting and style, but thought the story wasn’t very deep.
The change from a DLC to a full sequel suggests that the team has big new story ideas. This is especially true since the ends of the first game leave a lot of room for a deeper story that builds on its lore.
A cyberpunk metropolis from the past.
The announcement came with the first concept art for Stellar Blade 2, giving fans their first look at the way Shift Up is going. The piece of art depicts a busy, retro-futuristic cyberpunk city, with people walking, ground cars, and airborne cars moving between neon-lit towers.
This setting makes you think right away. In the world of Stellar Blade, the city of Xion is thought to be the last stronghold of humanity. However, Xion in the first game doesn’t have any ground streets, civilian traffic, or the structures shown in the concept art. The scene has a lot more people in it than in the first game, which led to rumors that the city in the sequel could represent:
- A rebuilt and revitalized Xion that grew with the help of android people after the ending events.
- A completely new place in the Stellar Blade world that had not been known before.
- A time-skip situation, which goes against what we already know about the story.
- Or even a trick that shows only early thoughts for concepts.
Adding to the puzzle is a big explosion in the background, where what looks like a Nativa creature is being attacked by what looks like a squad member in the air, who could be Eve herself.
The second story probably ends the same way as the first.
There are different ways to finish the first game, but Making New Memories is generally seen as the official path, and it’s also the most likely way for the story to flow into the second game. As that ending goes, Eve agrees to join with Adam to make a new species. This protects humanity’s future and makes her the “angel of humanity” that the people of Xion think she is.
We also find out that the Nativa are actually androids and that most of the “humans” we meet on Earth are actually leftover parts of the original humans who turned violent. Since the Mother Sphere called Eve a danger in the very end, the Mother Sphere will likely be the main bad guy in Stellar Blade 2.
So, the busy city in the concept art could be Xion after the power was restored at the end of the first game—a metropolis populated by androids that is still in danger from Nativa attacks.
The world will get bigger and livelier.
The settings in the sequel are likely to be much more populated and lively than the mostly empty ones in the first game. The first Stellar Blade did a great job of creating a post-apocalyptic mood and atmosphere with its ruins, wastelands, and empty industrial zones. However, Shift Up’s idea for a new city hints that the sequel will explore a wider range of tones.
Still, the picture shows problems with geography. In the first game, Xion is made to fall off a cliff instead of being on top of open streets. The new metropolis has a different look, which could mean it’s a whole new city or even a part of Earth never visited before.
No matter the answer, the concept art has sparked a lot of discussion in the community, and it’s clear that Shift Up wants the sequel to feel much bigger than the first game.
Fans should be ready to wait a long time.
Even though the game was shown off early today, fans probably won’t get to see gameplay or a full trailer for years. Stellar Blade 2 is still a long way off; work is just now moving into a major production stage. It is clear that the project has big goals, though.
It’s clear that Shift Up is confident: they think the sequel can be better than the first, improve the gameplay, deepen the story, and maybe even bring the Stellar Blade world to a wider audience.
