Rewarding Success: Stellar Blade Studio Lauds Employees with Bonuses, PS5 Pro Consoles

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

Stellar Blade, despite initial controversy, achieved widespread popularity on the PS5, boasting an 82 average score on OpenCritic and garnering numerous awards and nominations. Its fast-paced combat, striking art style, and memorable soundtrack have earned critical acclaim. The game's continued success is further fueled by several high-profile collaborations.

A heartwarming video shared on Twitter showcased Shift Up's over 300 employees receiving their PS5 Pros. The substantial cash bonus, according to company representatives, aims to incentivize and motivate the team. This generosity comes after Shift Up's highly successful July 2024 initial public offering (IPO), raising $320 million – the second-largest in South Korea that year.

Stellar Blade's momentum continues with ongoing collaborations, including a November 2024 Nier: Automata crossover and a future partnership with Goddess of Victory: Nikke. A holiday event further enhanced player engagement in December.

Looking ahead, a PC port of Stellar Blade is slated for release in 2025, a move anticipated to significantly boost the game's already impressive sales figures (one million PS5 units sold in its first two months). Shift Up's confidence in the PC market is high, suggesting a promising future for the title.