Support NeoGAF

[Thick Thighs Save Lives]

Full translation of the news article via DeepL:

ShiftUp discussed Stellar Blade sales at its IPO press conference today. Stellar Blade was released as a PS5 exclusive on 26 April, and ShiftUp estimates that it has sold over one million copies.

"Since launch, Stellar Blade has achieved and maintained a 9.2 user rating on Metacritic, the highest ever for a PS5 title," said Jaewoo Ahn, CFO of ShiftUp. Since launch, it has been the number one selling game in major console markets such as the US and UK, and we estimate that cumulative sales have exceeded one million copies. It's been a great first step for a major global IP."

Stellar Blade was released on 27 April this year, so it will be reflected in the company's results from the second quarter of this year. In fact, according to ShiftUp's securities filings, Stellar Blade revenue was KRW6.3 billion in April and KRW15.7 billion in May. This revenue only recognises the amount ShiftUp has received from publisher Sony. "Pre-launch pre-sales and post-launch sales are progressing smoothly," said CFO Jae-woo Ahn.

"The game is a PS5 exclusive, which hasn't seen the same level of penetration and activation as PS4, and the main consumer base for AAA games has recently shifted to PC. We're currently looking at a PC version of Stellar Blade, which we believe would be a great way to increase the value of the IP once again."

In fact, Shiftup has revealed in its securities filings that it is considering a PC version of Stellar Blade and a sequel. However, Shiftup CEO Kim Hyung-hyung said, "We are considering the PC version of Stellar Blade, but we cannot comment on the exact timing or whether or not it will be released because we have a contractual relationship."

Regarding Stellar Blade itself, Kim said, "Our goal was not to maximise profits, but to create an IP with high value to ensure branding in the process of gathering users around the world and building a fanbase. In this process, we minimised the parts that users might be uncomfortable with, such as microtransactions, for the sake of brand value, and we will reflect them in a way that users can understand. However, it won't be immediate." Specifically, he added that collaborations with other companies' IPs could result in paid DLC.

Finally, there's Shift-Up's flagship title, Stellar Blade and the Goddess of Victory: NIKE are scheduled to collaborate. "Stellar Blade and NIKE are looking at various opportunities to create positive synergies with each other, and I think we'll be able to show you some good results soon," Kim said.

시프트업 “스텔라 블레이드 100만 돌파 추산”

시프트업이 25일 열린 IPO 기자간담회에서 스텔라 블레이드 판매 현황에 대해 밝혔다. 스텔라 블레이드는 지난 4월 26일 PS5 독점작으로 출시됐고, 시프트업은 100만 장 판매를 돌파한 것으로 추산하고 있다. 시프트업 안재우 CFO는 “스텔라 블레이드는 출시 후 메타크리틱에서...

www.gamemeca.com

 

[Majormaxxx]

I will do my part as well!

 

[Eimran]

 

[acm2000]

well we all know that tits and ass sells to thirsty gamers

 

[Ozriel]

You know the massive meltdown never really happened, right?

 

[Dazraell]

IGN France after reading about this

 

[Ozriel]

well we all know that tits and ass sells to thirsty gamers

Also helps that the game turned out to be really good.

 

[MrA]

Over a million people have now never seen a woman, amazing!
Keep shifting those copies shift up,

 

[T-0800]

I look forward to buying it when it hits the right price for me.

 

[Perfo]

Only at 1 million? One of the best action adventure games around in the last decade and that’s it? We really deserve only GaaS and microtransactions everywhere -_-

 

[Skifi28]

One has to wonder, does the number of women the game is responsible for killing scale with sales numbers?

 

[The Shepard]

I look forward to buying it when it hits the right price for me.

Same here, will definitely get at some point, just waiting on that right price. Same with alot of games I plan on buying.

 

[ArtHands]

Only at 1 million? One of the best action adventure games around in the last decade and that’s it? We really deserve only GaaS and microtransactions everywhere -_-

For a PS5 exclusive new IP, a million is a very big success. You can’t expect it to reach the same scale like Palworld on PC.

 

[Thick Thighs Save Lives]

Only at 1 million? One of the best action adventure games around in the last decade and that’s it? We really deserve only GaaS and microtransactions everywhere -_-

It's a new Korean IP that was released exclusively on a single platform at a price of €80, so I think it did pretty well all things considered.

That said, once it releases on PC it should get another hefty bump in sales.

 

[ChuckeRearmed]

Decent result. Probably should surpass FF7R P2 in time.

Only at 1 million? One of the best action adventure games around in the last decade and that’s it? We really deserve only GaaS and microtransactions everywhere -_-

It puts numbers in the perspective eh? There are not many titles that go beyond 2m even. Even on Switch. Only big IP games and bundled ones.

 

[Perfo]

For a PS5 exclusive new IP, a million is a very big success. You can’t expect it to reach the same scale like Palworld on PC.

I hope so but it looked like an IP aiming at 3-5 ml copies with all the attention it got and Sony involved with it

 

[Larivel]

Only at 1 million? One of the best action adventure games around in the last decade and that’s it? We really deserve only GaaS and microtransactions everywhere -_-

It's really good, also considering that its a new IP, 70$, ps5 exclusive. Shift up themselves said that sales exceeded their expectations

Bayonetta 3 for example did 1m in 2 months on a console with almost 3 times higher userbase.

 

[Denton]

wtf is wrong with PS gamers, only a million of them buying

 

[kazuyamishima]

It’ll do wonders at the $39-49 price tag

 

[TheAmazingSpiderMan]

 

[Vlodril]

I think this shows how much warped are the views on sales for people here. When you see people complaining and asking why is Sony going all in on things like horizon when it sells 20m+ like that is a regular occurrence or something. The vast majority of games would be happy to sell a million or more. Also i think the huge frontloaded sales for games like spider-man or gow also skews how we see things when something sells a couple of millions the first couple of months. A lot of games sell through the fullness of time.

 

[Pejo]

Great numbers for a new IP on a single platform from an unproven studio in the current gen console market.

Hope the PC version is in the cards before the end of the year.

Kinda hard to read, but here's a roadmap of their future plans with the game:

Boss Rush in May, Photo Mode Soon™, New costumes (ongoing), Collaboration (probably with Nikke their mobile game), and DLC & Sequel release beyond. So they seem to be satisfied enough to have the sequel on this investor roadmap. Probably a good sign.

 

[Mister Wolf]

I'm waiting on the glorious PC version.

 

[Schmendrick]

Is that supposed to be good? Considering the drama surrounding it i´d have expected more.
Just goes to show that social media drama is usually just a clash between tiny minorities, no matter how "loud".

 

[T-0800]

1 million in sales should always be considered a success. Unfortunately many companies don't know how to budget accordingly.

 

[dreamstation]

Only 1 million? That's fucked. Game is straight fire, y'all ought to be ashamed of yourselves.

 

[Zheph]

Is that supposed to be good? Considering the drama surrounding it i´d have expected more.
Just goes to show that Internet drama is always just a clash between tiny minorities.

it's pretty decent yes but completely agree with your second part, it was quite embarrassing on this one

 

[Zheph]

Only 1 million? That's fucked. Game is straight fire, y'all ought to be ashamed of yourselves.

those kind of games with that very anime aesthetic don't have the public many seems to believe exists also people are buying less games nowadays as they mostly play the same GaaS all the time, sad stuff

 

[winjer]

One million is a decent result, but not spectacular. I thought it would sell more.
Maybe this will incentivize Shift Up to release the game on other platforms, sooner, rather than later.
A PC version sure would be nice.

 

[Pejo]

Is that supposed to be good? Considering the drama surrounding it i´d have expected more.
Just goes to show that social media drama is usually just a clash between tiny minorities, no matter how "loud".

Bayo 3 sold 1 mil units in about 4 months so this is tracking ahead of that game, and that's a known IP with a dedicated fanbase from Platinum.

Nier Replicant only sold 1.5~mil LTD as of 2022, which seems to be the last public data about the game, and that's also similar in genre and demographics.

I'm not sure what kind of sales you expected to see from it?

 

[ahtlas7]

Hurry up and bring it to PC. I want to do my part!

 

[Shut0wen]

Wow a million isnt really that great since it looks like 100+ game, what ashame

 

[acm2000]

Also helps that the game turned out to be really good.

sounds like something someone influenced by tits and ass would say

 

[ArtHands]

I hope so but it looked like an IP aiming at 3-5 ml copies with all the attention it got and Sony involved with it

Just because the Sony players are extremely vocal about it doesn't mean it is going to sell more than some PC exclusive titles like Manor Lords which sold 2 millions.

 

[Heisenberg007]

What a tragedy. Over 1 million women killed by Stellar Blade!

 

[Kupfer]

How does it compare to Days Gone?
Can we expect a sequel of Stellar Blade with these sales figures?

 

[drganon]

Just because the Sony players are extremely vocal about it doesn't mean it is going to sell more than some PC exclusive titles like Manor Lords which sold 2 millions.

Go make a thread about it.

 

[kaizenkko]

Just because the Sony players are extremely vocal about it doesn't mean it is going to sell more than some PC exclusive titles like Manor Lords which sold 2 millions.

Manor Lords is a $40 title, it's not a fair comparison. But I think Stellar Blade would have sell more being a PC exclusive than a Playstation exclusive.

 

[nial]

Manor Lords is a $40 title, it's not a fair comparison. But I think Stellar Blade would have sell more being a PC exclusive than a Playstation exclusive.

It's not a game particularly catering to the tastes of PC gamers, and you would need to have a publisher willing to spend as much on marketing as SIE did (let alone on development budget, but let's ignore that), so nah.

 

[Punished Miku]

1 million is the absolute low end to not be a complete bomb given the game's production values and marketing, so it's good that it cleared that much.

 

[jm89]

Those are great numbers.

People are not being realistic expecting every game to sell 3+ million+ in 1-2 months.

 

[kaizenkko]

It's not a game particularly catering to the tastes of PC gamers, and you would need to have a publisher willing to spend as much on marketing as SIE did (let alone on development budget, but let's ignore that), so nah.

These days every game sold better on PC than consoles. Just a guess, but I think that makes sense

 

[nial]

These days every game sold better on PC than consoles. Just a guess, but I think that makes sense

That's just not true.

 

[jm89]

These days every game sold better on PC than consoles. Just a guess, but I think that makes sense

That's what PCMR loudmouths will make it seem like. But it isnt reality.

 

[Shakka43]

Pretty low numbers for how good the game is. It sure deserves a lot more.

 

[ArtHands]

Manor Lords is a $40 title, it's not a fair comparison. But I think Stellar Blade would have sell more being a PC exclusive than a Playstation exclusive.

That's what I am saying. Its not a fair comparison. A million on PS5 is very good. The article in OP also provide context on why 1 million for this game is great:

The game is a PS5 exclusive, which hasn't seen the same level of penetration and activation as PS4, and the main consumer base for AAA games has recently shifted to PC.

 

[Kokoloko85]

Great for them. Best soundtrack of the year

 

[quest]

It's not a game particularly catering to the tastes of PC gamers, and you would need to have a publisher willing to spend as much on marketing as SIE did (let alone on development budget, but let's ignore that), so nah.

It would of sold great on PC. There is a large souls community on PC who would of purchased this. Especially with the rave reviews from streamers like fighting cowboy. They should of gotten a better deal to allow a PC version day 1.

 

[Rhazer Fusion]

well we all know that tits and ass sells to thirsty gamers

Not always actually. Wouldn’t games like Dead or Alive, Neptunia, King of Fighters, Rumble Roses and Soul Calibur sell millions upon millions effortlessly then to thirty gamers? Not saying the attractive female protagonist in Stellar Blade didn’t help out some, but I don’t think that was the only reason so many people bought it.

 

[nial]

It would of sold great on PC.

Never said otherwise.