Shift Up CEO Defends Stellar Blade: Blood Rain AI Music Video Against Player Backlash

Shift Up CEO Kim Hyung Tae defended an AI-generated music video promoting the sequel to his company's popular game, Stellar Blade. Released on July 31, the video featured the game's main character, Evie, singing and dancing to a pop song titled 'Wanna be in LOVE'. However, the AI-generated video received backlash from players due to its nonsensical wording, inconsistencies in character models, and blurred, airbrushed filter.

Hyung Tae, in response, praised the artists responsible for Evie's design, emphasizing that the AI merely rendered and presented the character based on their data, designs, and craftsmanship. Despite this explanation, some players remained frustrated, arguing that the AI distorts Evie's appearance and diminishes the quality of the studio's work.

Hyung Tae also expressed concern about Korea's competition with China in the gaming industry, mentioning that 80% of Shift Up's revenue comes from overseas and that Chinese games pose a significant challenge. He predicted that AI will become central to the games industry in the future, as younger generations are quickly adapting to it as an essential tool in daily life.