Shift Up has unveiled Stellar Blade: BLOOD RAIN, the official follow-up to 2024’s Stellar Blade. The game’s newly released reveal trailer presents a dystopian cyberpunk world, and to many’s surprise, introduces a brand-new lead character named Evie.
As Stellar Blade director Shift Up CEO Hyung-Tae Kim recently shared with Famitsu, Evie’s role in the narrative is that of a special forces operative tasked with hunting down a group responsible for a major terrorist attack in the city. The “CDDP” insignia on her back is also integral to her identity, though Kim keeps its meaning under wraps to avoid spoilers. Another intriguing detail is that Evie shares a connection with the first game’s protagonist Eve, but the specifics of their bond remain unrevealed for now.
According to Kim, Shift Up’s aim is to elevate the appeal of Eve with Stellar Blade’s new protagonist, particularly in aspects beyond aesthetics. “Of course, I really appreciate Eve’s appearance too, but rather than simply crafting physical attractiveness, with Evie, we’re focused on creating a character that players can genuinely come to love,” he remarks.
Interestingly, Kim notes that to achieve this objective, Shift Up is utilizing insights gained from interacting with Goddess of Victory: NIKKE’s player community and observing how players form emotional bonds with its characters. As Shift Up’s live-service third-person shooter RPG, which recently marked its 3.5-year anniversary, NIKKE is fundamentally a character-driven gacha where long-term engagement (and thus revenue) relies heavily on players becoming emotionally invested in the cast. In that context, the approach makes sense.
While the game’s alluring and revealing designs are an obvious factor, much of NIKKE’s success so far has been attributed to its storytelling and character writing, which encourage players to connect with its cast on a significantly deeper level than the typical harem game. If Shift Up is planning to apply that to Evie, Stellar Blade’s sequel could end up featuring a protagonist with more depth than its predecessor (which Kim has previously acknowledged as lacking in terms of narrative).
Stellar Blade: BLOOD RAIN’s release is likely still a while away though, as Kim says development is still in its early stages overall. Release platforms are also TBD, although the title has been confirmed for a multiplatform release.