Stellar Blade‘s demo was made available on the PlayStation Store yesterday, but it didn’t go as planned. It was pulled out of the PS Store just as quickly as it went live, but not before users got a brief hands-on with the upcoming action-adventure title by Shift Up.
One of those fans who got lucky enough to download the game on their PlayStation 5 recorded the first 40 minutes and also uploaded the gameplay on YouTube. After the game was pulled from the PS Store, those who downloaded it on their consoles had their license revoked, making it unplayable.
Forty Minutes of Stellar Blade Gameplay Uploaded by Fan
Stellar Blade is scheduled for release on April 26th. Fans have been waiting impatiently for the title ever since the new gameplay trailer dropped last month. Understandably, when a demo dropped yesterday, several fans were quick to download it to try it, but that didn’t last too long.
The demo was pulled out of the PS Store, and the license was revoked for those who managed to install it. This fan managed to record the first forty minutes of the gameplay and upload it to their YouTube channel, and the title looks rather stellar.
The gameplay showed two characters, Tachy and Eve, fighting monsters of all sizes and shapes that have taken over an apocalyptic Earth. After defeating a couple of monsters, the story shifts to another planet, where the main story campaign seems to begin. The protagonist is seen killing these monsters, collectively called Naytibas.
Players will have to use a vending machine to up their attack and survival skills while also scouting for safe places to set up camps. There are HP and Shield gauges as well for players to keep an eye on while attacking the Naytibas. Upon resting in camps to restore HPs, the Naytibas also get restored.
The free demo ends with several shots from the game featuring the kind of gameplay to expect with the release date shown in the end.
Fans Unhappy Over the Manner in Which License Was Revoked
Those who managed to download the demo were unhappy about the license being revoked by the devs, making the game unplayable. The license was revoked from those who managed to download it, along with an update for the game, which made fans question the integrity of devs’ power.
For now, the title shows “Not available for purchase” on the PS Store.
The Stellar Blade demo has now also been redacted from all users accounts that downloaded it. PlayStation pushed out a license update to delete access to it, even if you managed to grab the game in time. Pretty sure this has never been done before, not even for P.T. https://t.co/vz6uAFO6Tg
— Lance McDonald (@manfightdragon) March 9, 2024
Fans compared it to the playable teaser of Hideo Kojima’s unreleased Silent Hill game, which also got pulled from the PlayStation Store soon after its release.
For now, fans can take heart in knowing that the game looks exactly as advertised in the trailers and has the potential to be a successful exclusive. This comes at a time when fans aren’t happy about PlayStation titles heading to PC one after another.
Did you manage to play the demo? Let us know in the comments.
