Shift Up's recent promotional music video for the upcoming Stellar Blade: Blood Rain has drawn significant criticism from fans and observers, many of whom are labeling the content as "AI slop." The video, featuring the game's protagonist Evie, was released on Shift Up's official YouTube channel and explicitly disclosed its use of generative AI for altered or fully generated visuals and sounds.
The music video, set to the song "Wanna be in Love," depicts Evie in a futuristic, weightless city. Critics have pointed to issues such as poor lip-syncing and an overall aesthetic that some describe as having the "uncanny sheen of AI slop." The video also includes several moments that have raised questions about intellectual property, such as Evie interacting with a keychain bearing a KPop Demon Hunters logo and a visible Sony camera. While the original Stellar Blade was published by Sony Interactive Entertainment, Stellar Blade: Blood Rain is being published by Shift Up, making the inclusion of these references potentially unauthorized.
The reception on YouTube has been overwhelmingly negative, with many commenters expressing disappointment. "Are we deadass," reads one of the top replies, while another states, "They really thought they were cooking with this AI slop."
This controversy intersects with broader public concerns about generative AI technologies, which include ethical considerations, environmental impact, and potential job displacement. A Bentley University-Gallup survey indicated that a majority of respondents perceive AI as doing more harm than good. Within the gaming industry, there are specific worries about the proliferation of AI-generated content and the impact of AI data centers on hardware prices. The increased demand for resources to power these data centers has reportedly contributed to RAM shortages and significant price hikes for gaming hardware, with consoles like the Xbox Series X seeing substantial price increases since their launch.
This is not the first controversy surrounding Stellar Blade: Blood Rain. The game's announcement trailer previously faced backlash for what was perceived as the gratuitous sexualization of its protagonist, Evie, with many players noting her appearance suggested a younger age compared to the protagonist of the original Stellar Blade. Shift Up's previous major title, Goddess of Victory: Nikke, was also noted for its overtly sexualized themes.