Stellar Blade, developed by SHIFT UP, swept the 2024 Korea Game Awards, securing an impressive seven awards on November 13, 2024. Dive into the details of the game's remarkable achievements at this prestigious event.
Stellar Blade Wins Excellence Award and Six Others at the 2024 Korea Game Awards
Stellar Blade Director Aims for Grand Prize in Future Games
SHIFT UP's Stellar Blade was the star of the show at the 2024 Korea Game Awards, held at the Busan Exhibition & Convention Center (BEXCO). The game clinched seven major awards, including the coveted Excellence Award. Stellar Blade's accolades spanned across Game Planning/Scenario, Graphics, Character Design, and Sound Design, showcasing its technical prowess. Additionally, the game was honored with the Outstanding Developer Award and the Popular Game Award.
This marks the fifth time that Stellar Blade's Director and SHIFT UP CEO, Kim Hyung-tae, has been part of a winning team at the Korea Game Awards. His previous successes include Magna Carta 2 for Xbox 360 and The War of Genesis 3 in 1999, both during his tenure at Softmax. He also contributed to Blade and Soul as Art Director at NCSoft in 2012, and to SHIFT UP’s Goddess of Victory: Nikke in 2023.
In his acceptance speech, Kim Hyung-tae reflected on the journey, stating, "When we first created Stellar Blade, many people expressed concerns about whether we could make a console game in Korea and achieve meaningful results. But with the help of all the staff and game officials, we were able to achieve good results," as reported by Korean news outlet Econovill and translated via Google.
Although Stellar Blade narrowly missed out on the Grand Prize, which was awarded to Netmarble’s Solo Leveling: ARISE, SHIFT UP remains dedicated to the game's future. Kim Hyung-tae confidently stated, "Stellar Blade is not over yet. We are preparing many updates in the future, so look forward to it. Next time, we will make an even better game and even win the grand prize."
For a comprehensive overview of all the winners at the 2024 Korea Game Awards, please refer to the table below:
Award | Awardee | Company | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Grand Presidential Award | Solo Leveling: ARISE | Netmarble | |||
Prime Minister Award | Stellar Blade (Excellence Award) - SHIFT UP | ||||
Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Award (Best Game Award) | Trickcal Re:VIVE | Epid Games | |||
Lord Nine | Smilegate | ||||
The First Descendant | Nexon Games | ||||
Sports Shipbuilding President Award | Stellar Blade (Best Planning/Scenario) | SHIFT UP | |||
Stellar Blade (Best Sound Design) | |||||
Electronic Times President Award | Stellar Blade (Best Graphics) | ||||
Stellar Blade (Best Character Design) | |||||
Commendation from the Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism | Hanwha Life Esports (eSports Development Award) | ||||
Gyu-Cheol Kim (Achievement Award) | Minister of Culture, Sports, and Tourism Award | ||||
Kim Hyung-Tae (Outstanding Developer Award) | SHIFT UP | ||||
Stellar Blade (Popular Game Award) | |||||
Terminus: Zombie Survivors (Indie Game Award) | Longplay Studios | ||||
Korean Creative Content Agency President Award | ReLU Games (Startup Company Award) | ||||
Game Management Committee Chairperson Award | Smilegate Megaport (Proper Gaming Environment Creation Company Award) | ||||
Game Cultural Foundation Director Award | Uncover the Smoking Gun | ReLU Games |
While Stellar Blade did not receive a nomination for the Ultimate Game of the Year at the 2024 Golden Joystick Awards, there is still anticipation for its potential recognition at The Game Awards 2024.
The momentum for Stellar Blade continues to grow. A much-anticipated collaboration with Platinum Games' NieR: Automata is set for November 20th, and a PC release is planned for 2025, expanding the game's reach. SHIFT UP's 3rd Quarter Business Performance Results highlight their commitment to maintaining the IP's popularity through enhanced marketing efforts and content updates.
These developments are just the beginning for Stellar Blade. With more content updates and patches on the horizon, the game's recent success both domestically and internationally sets a promising stage for future Korean-made AAA titles to compete with the industry's best.