No matter what decisions the developers make for Stellar Blade, they seem unable to catch a break from all the controversy they encounter. Shortly after Stellar Blade's launch day, everything seemed to be going smoothly until Shift Up decided to introduce the first update to the game, drawing player attention to new censorship changes.
The complaints mainly revolve around the character Eve's costumes in the game. Many have noticed that following the first update for the game, some costumes have been altered in ways that can only be noticed by comparing the original un-updated version with the current version of the game. The changes include, for some costumes like the "Holiday Rabbit" outfit, now featuring black lingerie around the character's chest, whereas in the original version, it was not present. However, for other outfits, like the Moutan Peony, there seems to be speculation among netizens that black stockings have also been added to the character, but it appears to be a photoshopped image. Additionally, some violent elements and gore have been reduced after the update.
Making changes or censoring content in a game's update is not uncommon in the gaming market, as Final Fantasy VII Remake also underwent censorship to "cover up" Tifa and Aerith's swimsuits by adding fabric to their attire. However, this time the player outrage is exacerbated by Shift Up having previously stated that they would not introduce any censorship updates into the game, leading many players to believe this to be false advertising and demanding refunds to return the product and get their money back.
「Stellar Blade」 offers the same uncensored version in all countries, including the Japanese version.
— StellarBlade (@StellarBlade) April 21, 2024
ステラブレードは、日本版を含むすべての国で検閲されていない同じバージョンを提供しています。#StellarBlade #PS5 #Uncensored pic.twitter.com/dJojSgZH9y
Hyung-Tae Kim, Director of Stellar Blade, has decided to address these criticism head on. He explained that the recent update was indeed the final design decision for the costumes in the game that his team wanted to show players, unaffected by any censorship. They understand that this response alone may not satisfy fans, so they are currently having internal discussions about the issue. It's possible that we'll see a decision to revert the update to the original version soon.
"Understandably, we also recognize this issue. However, the final costume that we wanted to show you is indeed the costume in version 1.0.0.2. I want to clarify that is our final product. However, I know this answer is not enough to convince our users. There is an internal discussion ongoing regarding this, so I think we’ll have a chance to answer it soon." Hyung-Tae Kim explained.
Currently, it seems that Playstation Support is accepting requests for refunds on Stellar Blade if you cite false advertising as your reason, which is good news for those wanting their money back. So far, Shift Up or Sony have not responded to the community's reaction.
Aside from this controversy, players seem quite satisfied with Stellar Blade's gameplay, with the game currently boasting an 82 on Metacritic and a 9.1 User score. So if you're just interested in experiencing Stellar Blade's gameplay, especially its fast-paced and challenging combat, use our price comparison tool to get the best deals for Stellar Blade.
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