THE CRUNCH

Shift Up CEO Hyung-Tae Kim has revealed that the development of Stellar Blade was far more precarious than the game's eventual success suggests. Kim stated that the studio faced doubts from investors regarding the game's ability to break even and that funds were so low that the company could only pay salaries for about three months.

WHAT HAPPENS NEXT

The game launched to commercial success, validating the studio's gamble despite the severe financial risks.