It feels like the disconnect in public opinion between East and West when it comes to generative AI has never been more prevalent than now.
A new promotional music video for Stellar Blade: BLOODRAIN dropped last night, and it just may be the sloppiest slop we’ve seen yet out of the gaming industry, especially considering the noteworthiness of the IP.
Shift Up CEO Kim Hyung-tae has previously been quite vocal about his support of gen-AI, but boy, oh boy, he’s out to prove it with this one. The above video for a song called “Wanna be in LOVE,” starring BLOODRAIN protagonist Evie, was “created using the game resource from Stellar Blade: BLOODRAIN and regenerated with AI support.”
But in the end, it just looks awful. It’s got the same uncanny vibe that all gen-AI videos have, but with a bit more “polish” since they are using in-game models along with the prompts of whatever video model they’re pushing the slop through. It’s a mess.
It feels as though Kim is content with feeding off of any and all controversy surrounding the game, including the questionable design of the new game’s main character. The CEO said this new game and its protagonist will be “more appealing” than the buxom Eve from the original, despite Evie’s facial features appearing even more youthful.
The responses on Kim’s post for the video are, as you’d expect, overwhelmingly negative, and it’s the same on the official Stellar Blade account’s post. Many fans of the franchise are asking them to stop using gen-AI because it gives the game a bad look, while others are pleading with him and the studio to employ artists to make content.
“I know its different over in S. Korea where genAI is more accepted, but still seeing slop like this get made when you guys employ amazing artists and animators is disappointing to see man,” one reply said.
“This was an embarrassment,” another gamer replied. “How can you expect us to be hyped for this game when all you have promoted is AI? The flare and excitement simply does not replicate when project Eve was revealed. My hopes for this sequel and its protagonist is at an all time low.”
Yeah, the video is bad. The song isn’t great either. But it’s gotten people talking, and I think maybe that’s what Kim wants. I personally never got around to finishing the original Stellar Blade, and the latest developments about the sequel don’t really have me fiending for much more, but I’m interested in seeing how (or if) Kim and co. respond to the backlash.
Update at 11:12am CT on July 31, 2026: Kim has responded to criticism on X/Twitter:
“EVIE, the character at the heart of this video, was created from head to toe by our talented artists and modelers through more than a year of dedicated work. The AI is not creating her from scratch. It is rendering and presenting the character based on the data, designs, and craftsmanship our team created. We would truly appreciate it if you could view the work with that understanding in mind.”
