Summary
- PS5 exclusive Stellar Blade sold over one million copies in just a few months, but Shift Up has even higher hopes for its PC port.
- Due sometime this year, the developer has studied the market in the hopes of avoiding a disastrous launch as we’ve seen with other console exclusives like Spider-Man 2 and The Last of Us Part 1.
- Shift Up even aims to get the game running smoothly on handheld rigs like the Steam Deck.
Stellar Blade launched exclusively on PS5 last April and quickly surpassed one million copies sold within just a few months. However, developer Shift Up has even bigger ambitions for the game’s upcoming PC port, expected to arrive later this year.
“In the triple-A game market, PC has a larger market share than consoles, so we anticipate the PC version to outperform the console release,” Shift Up stated in its latest earnings report (via VGC). The studio is also closely watching the rise of single-player action games in the Asian market, a trend exemplified by Black Myth: Wukong. The mythological action RPG debuted last August to 1.4 million players on Steam, eventually reaching a staggering 2.4 million concurrent players—securing the second-highest peak player count in the platform’s history.
With such a strong demand for high-quality action games on PC, Stellar Blade’s success on Steam seems promising. However, a poorly optimized port could hinder its potential, making a smooth launch crucial for meeting expectations.
Shift Up Is Trying To Avoid A Poorly Optimised PC Launch
In recent years, the PC gaming community has endured a series of poorly optimized ports, particularly from titles that were originally console exclusives. PlayStation has been a repeat offender in this regard, with major releases struggling at launch. Just last month, Spider-Man 2 arrived on PC to a lukewarm reception, earning a Mixed rating on Steam due to technical issues. This follows the disastrous port of The Last of Us Part 1, which was so plagued with problems that it became Naughty Dog’s worst-reviewed game ever. Given this track record, PlayStation exclusives making the jump to PC haven’t exactly inspired confidence.
However, developer Shift Up is determined to break this trend with Stellar Blade. The studio has studied both successful and failed PC ports of console exclusives and is taking a meticulous approach to ensure a smooth launch. “We have identified and analyzed both successful and underperforming cases of console exclusives released on PC, and we are preparing to release the game in a way that ensures continued success in the PC market,” Shift Up stated. Their focus includes extensive optimization, improvements to user experience, and additional content, with the goal of delivering a polished experience—even on handheld devices like the Steam Deck and Asus ROG Ally.