"Stellar Blade Fans Accuse Naughty Dog Designer of Uglifying Eve"

The main character concept designer from Naughty Dog recently shared artwork on Stellar Blade's official X account, sparking a significant reaction from fans. Many expressed their dissatisfaction with Hyun-taek's portrayal of Eva, criticizing the concept art for giving her a masculine appearance. The majority of comments described this version of the Stellar Blade protagonist as "ugly" and "terrible." Fans went as far as to label the art as "repulsive" and accused the Naughty Dog designer of making Eve "awakened," indicating a shift in character design that they found unappealing.

This backlash follows a trend that Naughty Dog has been facing recently. The studio faced criticism not long ago for incorporating explicit Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) content in their newly revealed game, Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet. The trailer for this sci-fi adventure set a new record for the most dislikes on a video game trailer, surpassing the previous record held by Concord earlier this year.

Stellar Blade, developed by Shift Up, became a major success upon its release earlier this year, largely due to its protagonist, Eve. Eve's objective beauty resonated with fans, making her a universal favorite and contributing significantly to the game's popularity. In stark contrast, the new design of Stellar Blade's protagonist, created by the Shift Up studio, received a warm welcome from the gaming community, highlighting the difference in reception between the two designs.