Stellar Blade: Blood Rain’s Evie design is already dividing opinion

Stellar Blade: Blood Rain was barely announced before the conversation shifted away from gameplay and straight back to character design.

Following the game’s reveal at Summer Game Fest 2026, new protagonist Evie quickly became a flashpoint. Some fans branded her a “downgrade” from Eve, while others raised more pointed concerns about how young she appears in the initial trailer footage.

Stellar Blade: Blood Rain official reveal trailer

Now, Shift Up CEO Hyung-tae Kim has addressed those concerns in an interview with IGN, and his answers have done little to quiet the debate.

Kim’s case for Evie

Kim acknowledged that Evie is shorter, smaller, and younger than Eve, but argued players will form a different impression once they get hands-on time with the game. “She has a stronger personality and engages in much tougher battles. She’s actually part of a special squad that chases after a group of terrorists who cause terror attacks here and there in the city,” he said, framing her maturity through combat and narrative rather than appearance.

When pressed on whether the sequel would dial back the revealing outfit designs that the original Stellar Blade became notorious for, Kim was direct. “It will be even more appealing,” he said, and left it there.

That response has unsettled some. Critics point out that promising more sexualised costumes while also acknowledging Evie’s visibly younger design is a combination that raises legitimate questions.

Whether the final game addresses those concerns or amplifies them is unclear at this stage, and the footage so far has not helped Shift Up’s case.

---

For more updates like this, check out the gaming news section!