A Switch 2 version of PS5 console exclusive Stellar Blade is reportedly in development.
Korean site PlayForum has reported developer Shift Up has received a dev kit for Nintendo’s new console and has begun initial development work.
The news follows the release last week of Stellar Blade on PC, which has already proven a huge success for the studio – it managed record numbers for a PlayStation-published single player game and sold over a million copies within three days of its release.
Stellar Blade – PC Features Trailer | PC GamesWatch on YouTube
According to PlayForum (via machine translation), Shift Up is working on platform-specific optimisation to reflect the Switch 2’s lower power compared to Sony’s console (and PC).
Indeed, Stellar Blade was one of the first games optimised for Sony’s more powerful PS5 Pro console and has been praised for its performance.
PlayForum also stated the Switch 2 version plays into Shift Up’s multiplatform strategy, expanding beyond a single-platform hit.
Beyond Stellar Blade, the studio has its Goddess of Victory: Nikke game, plus its newly announced flagship Project Spirits.
A sequel to Stellar Blade is also in development and has been set to a 2027 release in a recent investor presentation from the studio.
Director Hyung-tae Kim stated Stellar Blade 2 will address the lack of narrative in the original game, which had its total number of cutscenes cut due to cost-saving measures. This included details on why main character Eve changes clothes so much.
“In the early stages of development, we planned to include detailed settings such as the reason the main character changes clothes in the story. However, as production progressed, the cost of producing cutscenes became too much,” he said. “And eventually, for the sake of efficiency, we had no choice but to reduce cutscenes that supplemented the world view or character narratives outside of the main plot. That’s how we were barely able to complete the game.”