Shift Up Chief Technology Officer DongKi Lee has offered further clarification on the developer's use of artificial intelligence following backlash over a promotional music video for Stellar Blade: Blood Rain. The video, released in August 2026, featured AI-generated imagery and footage of the character Evie, sparking criticism from players who accused the company of replacing human artists with AI.
Shift Up CEO Kim Hyung Tae previously defended the video, stating that the character Evie was created entirely by the studio's artists and modelers. He emphasized that the AI was used for rendering and presentation based on the team's original work, not for generating the character from scratch. "The AI is not creating her from scratch. It is rendering and presenting the character based on the data, designs, and craftsmanship our team created," Tae had written.
In a September 2 interview, Lee explained that the music video was intended as an "experimental" effort to showcase more of Evie's world and the game's aesthetic. He stressed that this type of content is separate from the official game development. "The reason we revealed that music video was to show more of the beauty of Stellar Blade Blood Rain. We wanted to show the world view and the character Evie. We just wanted to show a little more of each, and we did that as part of the content," Lee stated. He also pledged to maintain a clear distinction between game-related content and experimental AI endeavors moving forward.
Lee further elaborated on Shift Up's perspective on AI, viewing it as a tool to enhance game development. "AI has a lot of influence and impact on game development. But when we are using certain technologies or tools, what's important is the direction and purpose they serve. It needs to be used in a way that supports the developers' creativity, know-how, and skills. It should be used as a tool. That's the direction, and its purpose would be to make a great, high-quality game," he said.
Despite these clarifications, player reactions remain largely unchanged, with many expressing a preference for Shift Up to have utilized its human staff for the music video's production. Comments on social media platforms suggested that the studio could have achieved the same visual presentation through traditional animation or game trailers. The ongoing debate around AI in game development has seen similar discussions arise with other titles, such as Crystal Dynamics' Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis, where AI was confirmed for early prototyping but not for finished content.