Shift Up has reported its strongest financial quarter since the company’s founding, thanks to the exceptional success of Stellar Blade. The PC version of the game, released on June 12, 2025, sold over 1 million copies on Steam within just three days, making it the fastest-selling Korean title in the platform’s history. This performance contributed significantly to the company’s Q2 2025 operating revenue, which reached 112 billion KRW, representing a 72.4% year-over-year increase.
Stellar Blade alone accounted for 58% of Shift Up’s quarterly revenue, generating 65.7 billion KRW (approximately $47 million) in Q2. The title also achieved nearly 200,000 peak concurrent players on Steam and received an overwhelmingly positive reception, with 98% of reviews rated positively. Since its original PlayStation 5 release in April 2024, the game’s combined sales on PS5 and PC have now surpassed 3 million units. Its strong PC debut even outperformed major Sony-published titles on the platform, including Ghost of Tsushima, God of War, and Marvel’s Spider-Man, with sales two to five times higher in the same period.
The company’s other major title, Goddess of Victory: NIKKE, also contributed to growth with 45.1 billion KRW in revenue during the quarter, boosted by its recent launch in China under the title NEW HOPE and ongoing collaborative events with Stellar Blade. Shift Up’s workforce has now grown to 340 employees, with significant investment directed toward development incentives and fees related to Stellar Blade.
Looking ahead, Shift Up is preparing for continued updates to both Stellar Blade and NIKKE while developing its next major project, Project Spirit, which is expected to launch after 2027. The studio’s latest achievements firmly establish Stellar Blade as a global flagship AAA franchise, reinforcing Korea’s position in the international gaming market and marking a pivotal moment for the future of K-games on both console and PC.
