Overview
- Shift Up, the developer behind Stellar Blade, recently showcased fan art of the game’s protagonist, Eve, created by Hyoung Taek Nam, a character designer at Naughty Dog.
- The artwork sparked a wave of harsh criticism from fans, who claimed the portrayal of Eve was “ugly”and “hideous.”
- In response, Shift Up shared another illustration of Eve by Nam and defended the initial artwork, emphasizing the diversity of artistic expression.
The Stellar Blade community has been abuzz after an incident involving fan art by a Naughty Dog artist that didn’t resonate well with fans. Shift Up, the developer of this action-packed title, shared an illustration of Eve, the game’s lead character, only to be met with intense backlash.
Fan Reaction to Eve’s Illustration: A Controversy Unfolds
Since its exclusive launch on PS5 in April 2024, Stellar Blade has quickly captured the attention of gamers, reaching over one million sales by June 2024. The game’s captivating post-apocalyptic narrative and engaging combat mechanics have drawn players in, but the character Eve—a strong and stylized protagonist—has garnered particular admiration. Recent events, however, reveal that fans are fiercely protective of her image.
On Twitter, Shift Up shared a dynamic piece of fan art depicting Eve in combat against a formidable boss known as Gigas. The artwork, created by Naughty Dog’s Hyoung Taek Nam, was intended to celebrate the character but instead faced a torrent of negative feedback. Critics labeled the artwork as portraying Eve in an “ugly”and “hideous”light, while some went as far as suggesting that the artist had depicted Eve with an overly masculine appearance. Detractors urged Shift Up to refrain from future collaborations with Naughty Dog on artistic endeavors.
Thank you to Nam Hyoung Taek, Principal character concept designer at \u300cNaughtyDog\u300d, for this amazing illustration of EVE! \u2728#StellarBlade #PS5 #Fanart pic.twitter.com/aL8QlXSts4 — StellarBlade (@StellarBlade) December 26, 2024
Following the substantial criticism, Shift Up posted a second piece of artwork from Nam, showcasing a close-up of Eve. This new illustration appeared to directly address earlier concerns by highlighting Eve’s facial features more prominently. In conjunction with this release, Shift Up defended the originality of Nam’s earlier depiction, noting that fan art often reflects the unique style of the artist rather than adhering strictly to the source material. The reception of the new artwork was markedly more positive, though some fans continued to express that Shift Up should avoid future collaborations with Naughty Dog.
Naughty Dog has a history of controversy surrounding its creative choices, particularly with titles like The Last of Us Part 2, which left many gamers divided. This trend of discontent has been evident with recent announcements like Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet, which faced a barrage of negative feedback on YouTube, prompting the disabling of comments for the trailer. Moving forward, it is hoped that the collaboration between Shift Up and Naughty Dog can illuminate a pathway toward healthier dialogue within gaming communities.
Leave a Reply