There’s been a fair degree of criticism lobbed at Stellar Blade. While some are subjective, such as the exaggerated character design, others are a bit more grounded in reality. Now, it should be noted that the majority of fans don’t view Shift Up or Sony as nefarious companies, but there are outliers in every group.
Given the recent row regarding a specific phrase included in the game, most have been forgiving of the lapse in judgment. But some gamers are not letting Shift Up off the hook easily and are even calling people to boycott the upcoming PlayStation exclusive.
Netizens Suggest Boycotting Stellar Blade for Unintentional Slur
With English not being the native language for a predominantly Korean developer, there are going to be instances where some nuances are lost in translation. Simple design pieces could be interpreted wrongly. That’s what happened when a screenshot was shared on X.
As part of its latest round of controversy, Stellar Blade is being talked about as a piece of wall art that can be referred to as a racial slur. We reported on the incriminating screenshot circulating on social media. Shift Up has been quick to act, and a Day 1 patch is ready to fix the issue by replacing the word ‘Hard’ with ‘Crime.’
Now, many people are fine with this fix and have never ascribed any ill-intent to Shift Up. Sony also released a statement, claiming it was never intentional. But a few gamers are not letting it go. One has called for the community to “speak with your wallets” and not buy the game.
#StellarBlade racial slur referring to black people with the #hardER #PS5 only Sony would do something like this. I say speak with your wallets, if your against racism don’t but this game. pic.twitter.com/Uay66sZ0TX
— SuperDave (@Bishopinjuice_) April 24, 2024
One person doesn’t believe it was a planned move all along.
Unintentional my ass
— D (@Darron801) April 24, 2024
Other criticism is a bit more balanced, saying it’s something the team should have been able to pick up on.
Stellar Blade having a racial slur, intentional or not, is something the localization team maybe should have caught.
— Octoberfleshed (@Octoberfleshed) April 24, 2024
At the end of the day, even though Shift Up has dropped a patch, the bad press is out there for anyone to find. Thankfully, the majority of the community has given the studio the benefit of the doubt and is happy with the quick fix.
Stellar Blade Is No Stranger to Controversy
Since its reveal, the game has been under fire for several things. While Eve is right in line with Hyung-Tae Kim’s design ethos, her exaggerated form has drawn the ire of some gamers. However, Kim has been very vocal about the fact that the game is entertainment for adults and, hence, is unapologetic about his character and their looks.
The Hard R controversy may turn out to be just a small blip in the Stellar Blade journey. The game is slated to launch in less than 24 hours now, and PlayStation users have been eagerly awaiting its release ever since its reveal in 2019 as Project Eve.
Expect dynamic and brutal fights, gorgeous visuals, eye-catching set pieces, and a compelling narrative when you first boot up the game. The Day 1 patch is more than just a simple cosmetic change; it also includes New Game+, so be sure to get it!
What do you think of the Hard R controversy? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
