Among the many exciting reveals during the Summer Game Fest 2026 was Shift Up’s next project, Stellar Blade Blood Rain. The trailer showcased a new protagonist, Evie, and also a new Cyberpunk City, which will likely be the main setting for the game.
This was followed by the Shift Up director posting a key art, which sparked controversy as many people pointed out that the artwork for the game had used Gen AI. Here is everything you need to know about the AI controversy of Stellar Blade Blood Rain.
Note: This article is based on information from various internet forums and should be taken with a grain of salt.
Stellar Blade Blood Rain AI controversy explained
Shift Up revealed its next project, a sequel to its action game Stellar Blade, titled Stellar Blade Blood Rain, during the Summer Game Fest 2026. The CEO of the company, Kim Huyng Tae, posted an official key art for the game, showcasing the protagonist Evie staring at a Cyberpunk-themed massive cityscape.
But the controversy started soon after, as many people pointed out that the key art used Gen AI in the background. As pointed out by X user @runningtiger9, there are many discrepancies in the image.
The X user claimed the following:
“This is a real existing gold jewelry store in China called “Chow Tai Fook.” Besides that, there are a large number of other errors in the image. I’m not someone who fiercely opposes AI, but this has clearly already led to a decline in quality. Kim Hyung-tae was once a leading figure among Korean illustrators, and now he’s actually fallen to this point.”
Though it is not new news that Shift Up’s CEO has expressed an interest in the usage of AI while crafting the studio’s products.
As was reported by Automaton Media, during South Korea’s 2026 Economic Growth Strategy national briefing, Kim Hyung Tae, the director of Stellar Blade and Shift Up’s CEO, expressed his fondness for the use of AI. Targetting the lack of manpower compared to the Chinese video game industry, Tae has stated:
“We devote around 150 people to a single game, but China puts in between 1,000 to 2,000. We lack the capacity to compete, both in terms of quality and volume of content.”
He also said that AI can allow:
“One person can perform the work of 100 people.”
While the ethics related to the usage of AI when it comes to creating art forms like video games are up for debate, it is clear that Shift Up will likely keep using AI assets for its upcoming products, which include Stellar Blade Blood Rain.
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Edited by Supratim Sarkar
