Stellar Blade 2 dev sneakily reveals ARPG sequel has entered active development

Sci-fi ARPG Stellar Blade was truly one of 2024's surprise hits. Things got even better when it finally came to PC this year, as fan fervor saw it set a new record for Playstation. Stellar Blade 2 almost felt like a certainty, even before its big Steam debut, though it wasn't until earlier this year that developer Shift Up quietly confirmed a sequel was coming. Now, the studio's penchant for surreptitiousness has struck again, as a new investor report reveals a huge update on where Stellar Blade 2 stands.

Stellar Blade wasn't a perfect game by any means; Reid only awarded it a 6/10 in his Stellar Blade PC review. Its excellent combat system was let down by a bland plot, and characters who had, quoting my own views, "about as much synergy as an asteroid and the dinosaurs." However, Shift Up has acknowledged its own shortcomings in this department, and now there's a real opportunity to rectify them in Stellar Blade 2. Should the studio iron out the creases this time, there's a very good chance the sequel will end up on our best action-adventure games list.

Despite its flaws, Stellar Blade managed to capture the hearts (and wallets) of players. Its Steam launch saw it quickly clamber to the top of the charts for Playstation's single player offerings, beating out the likes of Ghost of Tsushima and God of War; a monumental feat for a new IP from a relatively unknown developer. In May, just before it arrived on PC, Shift Up revealed it was working on a sequel. In its latest financial report, the studio confirms that Stellar Blade 2 (or whatever it will be called) is now in active development.

"We are actively pursuing the franchise development of the Stellar Blade IP and are currently developing a sequel to Stellar Blade," the report, translated from Korean to English by 'Genki,' reads. "This sequel will inherit the action-packed nature of the original Stellar Blade while incorporating an expanded worldview and enhanced gameplay, further solidifying its position as a franchise IP. We anticipate that this will result in even greater success than the original."

Considering how Stellar Blade's true ending went down, I'm excited to see which direction Shift Up decides to take it in. As long as there's more Lily screen time, we're in for a banger.

Until we hear more, lock in with some of the best RPGs and best single-player games you can get your hands on right now.

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