Stellar Blade Studio Rewards Employees with Bonuses and PS5 Pro Consoles

Shift Up, the developer behind the critically acclaimed action-adventure game Stellar Blade, recently rewarded its employees with a generous year-end bonus: a PlayStation 5 Pro and approximately $3,400. This significant gesture follows the game's remarkable success since its April 2024 launch.

Stellar Blade, despite initial controversy, quickly became a major hit on the PS5, boasting an 82 average score on OpenCritic and garnering numerous awards and nominations. Its fast-paced combat, stunning art style, and captivating soundtrack have earned widespread praise. The game's continued popularity is further fueled by successful collaborations, including a November 2024 crossover with Nier: Automata and a future collaboration with Goddess of Victory: Nikke announced in late December. A holiday event, featuring festive decorations, new music, and costumes, was also introduced in mid-December.

The company's generous bonus, distributed to its over 300 employees, reflects Shift Up's commitment to its workforce and aims to foster continued success. This follows a highly successful July 2024 initial public offering (IPO) on the South Korean stock market, raising $320 million – the second-largest IPO in the country that year. A heartwarming video showcasing employees receiving their PS5 Pros was shared on Shift Up's Twitter account.

Looking ahead, Stellar Blade's success is poised to continue. A PC port is slated for release in 2025, a move anticipated by Shift Up following the game's impressive one million PS5 unit sales within its first two months.