Stellar Blade developer Shift Up has prompted another wave of debate after releasing an AI-generated music video tied to its upcoming sequel, Stellar Blade: Blood Rain.
The video accompanies “Wanna be in Love” and follows Blood Rain protagonist Evie through a futuristic city that appears to be floating in zero gravity. Its awkward lip-syncing and artificial-looking imagery have led viewers to describe it as “AI slop”. Shift Up disclosed in the YouTube description that the production used artificial intelligence, with “sounds or visuals” either altered or generated entirely.
The trailer also retains one familiar element of Shift Up’s presentation: repeated, gratuitous close-ups of Evie’s body. Viewers can see the gratuitous sexualization of its protagonist Evie in the short video.
Fans question the trailer’s references
Several details in the video appear to borrow from recognisable brands. At close to two minutes in, Evie picks up a keychain carrying the KPop Demon Hunters logo. A Sony camera is also visible near the ending.
The status of those references is unclear. Sony Interactive Entertainment published the first Stellar Blade, but Shift Up is publishing Stellar Blade: Blood Rain rather than the PlayStation manufacturer. The video does not make clear whether Sony authorised the camera reference or whether the KPop Demon Hunters branding was approved.
Comments beneath the upload show that many fans were unimpressed. One highly rated response asks, “Are we deadass,” while another says the studio believed it was “cooking with this AI slop”. A third jokes that watching the video caused the viewer’s RAM prices to rise.
Why AI remains a sensitive subject in gaming
The reaction reflects broader concerns about generative AI, including questions around ethics, environmental impact and potential job losses. A Bentley University-Gallup survey found that 39 per cent of respondents believed AI does more harm than good, compared with 9 per cent who believed it does more good.
Within games, players have also linked the rise of AI-generated content with the growing cost of hardware. The construction and operation of AI data centres has contributed to a RAM shortage, which has pushed up prices for gaming components and devices.
That pressure is being felt across the console market as well. At the time of the report, every modern console cost more than it did at launch. From August, the base Xbox Series X was set to cost $300 more than its 2020 launch price.
Blood Rain has faced controversy before
This is not the first point of criticism aimed at Stellar Blade: Blood Rain. The announcement trailer drew attention to its new lead character, who many players felt looked substantially younger than the protagonist of the previous game.
Before releasing Stellar Blade, Shift Up was primarily known for Goddess of Victory: Nikke, a gacha game built around highly sexualised character design. The studio’s approach to visual presentation has therefore remained a recurring part of discussion around its games.
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