Stellar Blade Developer Reportedly Moving Toward Self-Publishing Future Titles

It looks like the studio behind Stellar Blade may be preparing to take greater control over its future projects.

According to a new report, Korean developer Shift Up is strengthening its internal capabilities to publish its own games globally potentially reducing its reliance on partners such as Sony Interactive Entertainment for future releases.

Sony’s Role in Stellar Blade

When Stellar Blade launched, Sony played a significant part in bringing the action title to market. The company handled publishing duties for the game on PlayStation 5 and PC, while also giving it a major marketing push that’s typically reserved for first-party or closely partnered titles.

That visibility helped the game reach a large audience, positioning it as one of the more prominent action releases tied to the PlayStation ecosystem.

But with the game’s success now established, Shift Up appears to be exploring new options for how it releases its next projects.

Shift Up Expanding Publishing Capabilities

The report, originating from Korean outlet GameMeca (via Automaton), points to a recent job listing from the developer. In the listing, Shift Up mentions plans to expand its self-publishing capabilities in order to support internally developed titles across multiple platforms.

According to the translated posting, the company aims to make “a new leap forward in the global market.” The listing also notes that the studio is working toward supporting its games across console and PC platforms through its own publishing infrastructure.

If that effort continues to grow, it could mean that future titles including a possible Stellar Blade sequel may not rely as heavily on outside publishers.

Plans Have Been in Motion Since 2024

The move doesn’t come entirely out of nowhere.

When Shift Up became a publicly traded company in 2024, CEO Tae-hyung Kim suggested that while the studio’s primary focus would remain game development, expanding into self-publishing was something the company was considering for the future.

Recent developments suggest that the studio may now be actively pursuing that strategy.

Shift Up is also known for the mobile hit Goddess of Victory: NIKKE, which has become one of the studio’s biggest successes. With multiple major projects under its belt, the developer may now have the resources to distribute its games independently.

That doesn’t necessarily mean Sony won’t be involved in future projects tied to Stellar Blade, but the balance of that relationship could shift if the developer decides to handle publishing itself.

For now, there’s no official word on a sequel to Stellar Blade. However, if one eventually arrives, it may come from a studio that’s increasingly looking to control not just development but the entire publishing process as well.