The highly anticipated Stellar Blade: Blood Rain generated significant buzz following its official summer showcase, so it came as no surprise that fans were eager for any new details regarding its story and gameplay. Yet when the title resurfaced, it drew the ire of its community.

The footage in question was uploaded to SHIFT UP’s official social media and video platforms, amassing thousands of views in just a few hours. However, despite offering a closer look at Evie, the sequel’s striking new lead, even the franchise’s most loyal and devoted supporters found themselves unable to defend the release.

Stellar Blade Behind the scenes

AI-Generated Music Video Leaves Stellar Blade: Blood Rain Fans Disappointed

The South Korean studio unveiled the game’s first official trailer during Summer Game Fest 2026, introducing the new protagonist and offering a detailed preview of the city that appears to serve as the primary setting.

As with its predecessor, much of the online conversation centered on Evie’s stylized design, the character stepping into the role once held by EVE. Although brief gameplay snippets were shown, concrete details about the revamped combat system remain scarce.

With so many questions still unanswered, fans have been craving fresh information. That’s probably what made SHIFT UP’s latest update all the more disheartening because what they revealed was an awful music video generated almost entirely by artificial intelligence.

The 4-minute clip features Evie singing and dancing to Wanna be in LOVE, the same track that accompanied the original Blood Rain trailer. Both the protagonist and her surroundings are visibly AI-generated, a fact the creators made little effort to conceal.

In the YouTube description, the studio openly notes that in the video “sounds or visuals were altered or fully generated” using AI. This disclaimer is redundant given the obvious inconsistencies in the protagonist’s shifting facial features and other visual errors.

Toward the end of Stellar Blade: Blood Rain’s music video, a series of faux behind-the-scenes shots depict a mock production crew wearing SHIFT UP T-shirts and interacting directly with Evie on-screen. In addition, a keychain bearing the logo of K-Pop Demon Hunters appears without any clear context.

Stellar Blade Blood Rain inteligencia artificial

SHIFT UP’s Director Is a Vocal Proponent of Generative AI

The community’s response was swift and unforgiving. “I think they have more than enough budget to animate a real music video instead of using AI,” one frustrated fan wrote. “This is an absolute embarrassment and an insult to artistry,” added another. “It’s a shame they resorted to AI rather than commissioning actual animators,” commented a third.

As disappointing as the Stellar Blade: Blood Rain video may be, its existence is hardly shocking. At the end of the clip, viewers can spot the logo of SHIFT UP’s dedicated AI division. This means the studio is doubling down on generative technologies for content creation.

Indeed, company director Kim Hyung-Tae has long positioned himself as a staunch advocate for artificial intelligence. Earlier this year, he argued that such tools are essential for developers in smaller countries to remain competitive against major studios from the United States, China, and other regions.

“We devote around 150 people to a single game, but China puts in between 1,000 to 2,000. We lack the capacity to compete, both in terms of quality and volume of content,” he said.

Hyung-Tae, who is closely involved in the production of Stellar Blade: Blood Rain, also dismissed concerns that AI would lead to job losses, instead suggesting that these technologies would elevate the value of developers and artists as “one person can perform the work of 100 people.”

When Kim promoted the controversial music video and asked for community feedback, fans did not hold back. “At this point, I’m going to assume Blood Rain will feature heavy AI integration throughout,” one commenter wrote. “If your goal is to make sure we stop buying your games, you’re doing an excellent job.”

This is far from the first controversy surrounding the title. Following its official announcement, some fans criticized Evie’s character design and called for EVE’s return. Kim defended the new protagonist, assuring players that she would come equipped with a wide variety of additional costumes designed to meet expectations.

In addition, some players had already accused SHIFT UP of using generative AI in the very first official Stellar Blade: Blood Rain trailer.

What do you think about this controversy? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.

Stellar Blade: Blood Rain does not yet have a confirmed release date but for more related news, click here.