Stellar Blade is the latest PlayStation 5 exclusive and it was a passion project from South Korean game developers at Shift Up. Director Hyung-Tae Kim had a clear vision for the company’s first major console game and wanted an epic title to accompany it.
The original title was quite simpler but what the director came up with has a deep mythology behind it. An ambitious video game deserves an equally ambitious title and it also sounds a lot better compared to Project Eve.
Director Hyung-Tae Kim On How Project Eve Evolved Into Stellar Blade
Sometimes having a cool title can help attract the attention of the gaming industry, the South Korean director explained the origins of the title and he meant it very literally. It is a major step up in the right direction from a simplistic and basic title like Project Eve, Shift Up did not take any chances for the gaming company’s first attempt at console gaming.
The meaning of "Stellar Blade" ✨ #StellarBlade
"'Stellar' comes from the Latin word 'stella' meaning 'star'… The main character, Eve, was born in space, trained to reclaim the earth, and comes down to earth with a sword in her hand. So the title 'Stellar Blade' means 'Sword… pic.twitter.com/d3kiboHRnn
— Genki✨ (@Genki_JPN) April 25, 2024
The video game has taken inspiration from other great science fiction like James Cameron’s work on Alita: Battle Angel and it also received high praise and the seal of approval from Yoko Taro, the game director of NieR: Automata which was another source of inspiration from Kim.
Kim came up with the title when he looked up certain translations that fit well with the theme of the game. It would appear that the title has a character development arc itself, and the Latin translations were a perfect title for an epic video game.
Stellar Blade Is a Retelling of the Story of Hyung-Tae Kim’s Passion Project
It does sound cool on paper and rolls off the tongue quite well, the game director is quite subtle and explained the title was a literal translation of how Eve, the protagonist is being linked to the stars coming down to the planet armed with a sword to vanquish her foes. Kim and his team came around with the perfect title that naturally basically tells what the game is all about.
It can be quite challenging to give a project a name as it will naturally leave a first and lasting impression on the general public. Fortunately, the stars were perfectly aligned and it may just be a coincidence but it could also be fate altogether. To see a dream be recognized and fully translated into reality must be a fulfilling moment for the game director.
Coming up with a name or title is just as important to figure out alongside gameplay, graphics, and mechanics, players being able to identify a video game for having an epic and unique title is also a massive selling factor. Shift Up made the right choice to take a step back and rethink the title of the project and a great example to always double-check before submitting or committing.
Director Hyung-Tae Kim is an ambitious storyteller and it is only poetic to have a strong title like Stellar Blade under his belt and a long list of games that he contributed to.
Do you think the title justifies the quality of Stellar Blade? Let us know in the comments section below!
