Stellar Blade took home an impressive seven awards at the prestigious 2024 Korea Game Awards on November 13, 2024. Dive in to discover the full scope of the game's achievements at this renowned event.
Stellar Blade Wins Excellence Award and Six Others at the 2024 Korea Game Awards
Stellar Blade Director Aims for Grand Prize in Future Games
SHIFT UP's Stellar Blade swept the 2024 Korea Game Awards, securing seven major accolades, including the coveted Excellence Award. The awards ceremony, held at the Busan Exhibition & Convention Center (BEXCO) on November 13th, celebrated the game's excellence in categories such as Game Planning/Scenario, Graphics, Character Design, and Sound Design. Stellar Blade also clinched the Outstanding Developer Award and the Popular Game Award.
This marks the fifth time Stellar Blade's Director and SHIFT UP CEO, Kim Hyung-tae, has been part of a game that triumphed at the Korea Game Awards. His past victories include Magna Carta 2 for Xbox 360 and The War of Genesis 3 in 1999, both during his tenure at Softmax. He also contributed to the 2012 PC game Blade and Soul as Art Director at NCSoft, and to SHIFT UP's Goddess of Victory: Nikke in 2023.
"When we first embarked on creating Stellar Blade, many doubted whether a console game could be successfully developed in Korea," Kim Hyung-tae remarked in his acceptance speech, as reported by Econovill and translated via Google. "Thanks to the dedication of our team and the support from the gaming community, we've achieved remarkable success."
Although Stellar Blade missed out on the Grand Prize, which was awarded to Netmarble's Solo Leveling: ARISE, SHIFT UP remains dedicated to the game's future. Kim Hyung-tae confidently stated, "Stellar Blade is far from finished. We have numerous updates planned, so stay tuned. Our goal is to create an even better game and claim the grand prize next time."
For a comprehensive list of winners at the 2024 Korea Game Awards, please see the table below:
| Award | Awardee | Company |
|---|---|
| Grand Presidential Award | Solo Leveling: ARISE | Netmarble |
| Prime Minister Award | Stellar Blade (Excellence Award) | SHIFT UP |
| Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Award (Best Game Award) | |
| Trickcal Re:VIVE | Epid Games |
| Lord Nine | Smilegate |
| The First Descendant | Nexon Games |
| Sports Shipbuilding President Award | |
| Stellar Blade (Best Planning/Scenario) | SHIFT UP |
| Stellar Blade (Best Sound Design) | |
| Electronic Times President Award | |
| Stellar Blade (Best Graphics) | |
| Stellar Blade (Best Character Design) | |
| Commendation from the Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism | |
| Hanwha Life Esports (eSports Development Award) | |
| Gyu-Cheol Kim (Achievement Award) | Minister of Culture, Sports, and Tourism Award |
| Kim Hyung-Tae (Outstanding Developer Award) | SHIFT UP |
| Stellar Blade (Popular Game Award) | |
| Terminus: Zombie Survivors (Indie Game Award) | Longplay Studios |
| Korean Creative Content Agency President Award | ReLU Games (Startup Company Award) |
| Game Management Committee Chairperson Award | Smilegate Megaport (Proper Gaming Environment Creation Company Award) |
| Game Cultural Foundation Director Award | Uncover the Smoking Gun | ReLU Games |
Unfortunately, Stellar Blade did not receive a nomination for the Ultimate Game of the Year at the 2024 Golden Joystick Awards. However, with The Game Awards 2024 on the horizon, there's still a chance for the game to garner further acclaim.
Stellar Blade's momentum continues to surge forward. An eagerly awaited collaboration with Platinum Games' NieR: Automata is set for November 20th, and a PC release is planned for 2025, expanding the game's reach. SHIFT UP's 3rd Quarter Business Performance Results also highlight their commitment to maintaining the IP's popularity through enhanced marketing efforts and content updates.
These developments are just the beginning for Stellar Blade. With more content updates and patches in the pipeline, the game's recent domestic and international success could pave the way for future Korean-made AAA titles to compete with the industry's best.
