Kim Hyung-tae, CEO of Shift Up, addressed the recent controversy surrounding AI usage: "We were conducting experiments and research on various AI applications in our AI lab, and we sincerely apologize for releasing results from internal experiments as official content. Going forward, we will not release experimental work in this format through official content."
Kim (CEO) stated at a joint press conference held during TGS (Tokyo Game Show) 2026 on the 18th: "That said, it is difficult to say we will never use AI again. We believe that informing the public about how and in what direction AI will be utilized is an important obligation."
Previously, Shift Up uploaded a video related to 'Stellar Blade' sequel 'Blood Rain' on its official YouTube channel. The AI-generated video introduced the new protagonist 'Ivy' presenting the original soundtrack of the sequel. While many comments expressed anticipation for the sequel, others pointed out the use of AI.
At that time, Kim (CEO) directly addressed the issue on X (formerly Twitter). He said: "This character was created from head to toe through dedicated work by our talented artists and modelers over more than a year. It was not created from scratch using AI. AI was used only to render the character based on data, designs, and craftsmanship we developed."
Kim (CEO) added: "Going forward, we will showcase truly impressive and high-quality gameplay content through official channels. We believe that presenting actual gameplay is our most important value. We plan to connect with users through gameplay."
Regarding plans for self-publishing the sequel, he explained: "We are not planning to handle everything ourselves. We will take responsibility for optimally distributing developed games."
Kim (CEO) stated: "If there is a better partner available, we will maintain our stance of continuing cooperation. This year and next, Shift Up will handle online and physical distribution, while collaborating with external partners or agencies for limited editions and specific regions. Regarding live services, building the necessary business capabilities takes time, so it is difficult to say whether direct distribution will be possible in the near future. However, we will gradually expand our scope by acquiring talent and strengthening our business capabilities."
Finally, Kim (CEO) expressed gratitude: "During the development of 'Stellar Blade,' we heard from several investors that the project carried significant risk. Nevertheless, thanks to users' support, we were able to continue developing the game and strive to create even better games. As a result, we believe the Korean game market is gradually progressing by looking toward the global market."
in TECH
