Will gen AI be a part of Stellar Blade 2‘s growth? It doesn’t sound completely outdoors the realm of risk after current feedback from developer Shift Up’s CEO. The South Korean recreation studio is presently engaged on a sequel to the 2024 sci-fi motion recreation and its boss thinks AI is the one strategy to compete with the large growth groups popping out of China. “We commit round 150 individuals to a single recreation, however China places in between 1,000 to 2,000,” Hyung-tae Kim, who additionally served as director on Stellar Blade, mentioned throughout a current convention briefing in response to GameMeca (translated through Automaton). “We lack the capability to compete, each when it comes to high quality and quantity of content material.”
The remarks have been a part of the Shift Up CEO’s tackle throughout the “2026 Financial Progress Technique” convention held on January 9. South Korea’s president, Lee Jae Myung, was in attendance. Kim went on to recommend that generative AI and LLM instruments shall be necessary for night out the enjoying area.
He argued that with AI, “one particular person can carry out the work of 100 individuals.” Will this result in mass layoffs? Not in response to the Shift Up CEO. That’s as a result of international competitors would require international locations to nonetheless make the most of each attainable employee. Sounds enjoyable!
Was Kim truly frightened about rising competitors from China, or was he simply flexing his geopolitical muscle as Stellar Blade‘s recognition catapults Shift Up into the large time? In spite of everything, that recreation offered hundreds of thousands of copies throughout console and PC with out the assistance of AI, whilst Tencent, Internet Ease, and different main Chinese language publishers flood the market with AAA free-to-play video games.
For now no less than, Shift Up staff are being properly taken care of. Seoul Financial Day by day lately reported that every one 300 staff on the studio got AirPods Max, Apple Watches, and a bonus $3,400 to have fun the corporate’s worthwhile 2025. Why no online game consoles? It already gifted PS5 Execs and Swap 2s final yr.
Shift Up is presently aiming to launch Stellar Blade 2 earlier than the top of 2027. Hopefully it’s not counting on gen AI to do it.
