Reports emerged on Reddit that Sony will refund PlayStation 5 players who bought the Shift Up game Stellar Blade if they base their refund claim on false advertising. The controversy surrounding Stellar Blade started almost two years ago when a radical feminist and developer at Shift Up claimed that she was forced out of the company due to her feminist beliefs. That controversy died a quiet death, but the controversy was again stirred when the perpetually triggered woke IGN and Kotaku game journalists desperately scoured for their fainting couches when the first images of a beautiful and sexy-looking Eve, the Stellar Blade protagonist, started emerging online. From the outset, it was clear that a beautiful Eve was going to cause outrage among the woke mob.
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Now reports emerged that players can claim refunds for Stellar Blade, which refunds are approved by Sony for false advertising, based on the fact that the game fails to deliver on promises made in its promotional materials. Specifically, players have taken issue with the censorship evident in the game, which notably includes alterations to character outfits and the removal of graphic violence effects. The discrepancy between the advertised version of Stellar Blade and the version players received has left many feeling misled and dissatisfied.
The fact that Sony, known for its strict refund policies, has opted to grant refunds in this case raises suspicion that Sony may be pulling a fast one over Stellar Blade developer Shift Up. Earlier reports pointed to potential collusion between woke IGN and Kotaku journalists with Sony to manufacture outrage over a graffiti piece in Stellar Blade.
The term ‘Hard R’ sparked controversy, seen as racially charged. Sony promised its removal, conflicting with Shift Up’s claim of an uncensored release, suggesting potential collusion for controversy. The sequence of events following the public revelation of the ‘Hard R’ raised suspicions of collusion between IGN, Kotaku, and Sony. This apparent manufactured outrage, coupled with Sony’s swift approval of refunds, suggests that Sony may have a vested interest in Stellar Blade’s failure.
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Hyung-Tae Kim, the director of Shift Up, has defended the changes, asserting that they reflect the intended final product. However, this explanation has done little to quell the backlash, with players expressing frustration and even advocating for a boycott of PlayStation Plus in protest.
This discontent has manifested in various forms, including the petition #FreeStellarBlade started by Grummz, which calls for the restoration of censored content and expresses frustration towards both Sony and Shift Up, the game’s developer. The petition, aimed at restoring removed outfits in a future update, has gained significant traction, highlighting the widespread discontent among players. Shift Up’s initial promise of an uncensored global release has come under scrutiny, with accusations of false advertising gaining momentum as players uncover discrepancies between pre-release promises and the final product.
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Despite the controversy, concrete data regarding the impact on Stellar Blade’s sales and player base remains elusive. However, the game’s favorable Metacritic score suggests that critical reception has not been significantly affected by the backlash.
The character design, particularly the portrayal of Eve and her costumes, has been a focal point of criticism. The woke mob claims to find the designs overly sexualized, while gamers have expressed disappointment at the alterations made post-release, including the reduction in gore effects, which were initially touted as a defining feature of the game’s combat mechanics.
The widespread censorship controversy over Stellar Blade and Sony’s apparent resolve to let Stellar Blade tank highlights the importance of Mark Kern’s 8-step plan. Gamers should unite and support Stellar Blade developer Shift Up while pushing back against Sony.
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Everyone should do it so they go broke. Here’s the thing none of these people boycotted Sony when they first started doing it and worse they complained then bought a PS5 and games for it. Hopefully now they don’t buy the new PS5 or any exclusives also don’t pay for Sony PlayStation services and if you really want to hurt them don’t support Sony at all so Crunchyroll, Sony Music, Sony Pictures, Aniplex, any of those don’t support them either.