Stellar Blade Designer Accused of Eve Debasement

Naughty Dog's concept artist sparked a heated online debate after sharing artwork of Stellar Blade's protagonist, Eva, on X. Fans overwhelmingly criticized the design, deeming it unattractive and masculine, with many comments labeling the portrayal as "ugly" and "terrible." The artwork was widely considered repulsive, and some even accused the designer of depicting an "awakened" Eva, implying a negative alteration to her original character.

This controversy follows recent criticism leveled at Naughty Dog for incorporating explicit DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) content into their upcoming game, Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet. The trailer for this sci-fi adventure garnered a record number of dislikes, surpassing even Concord's earlier record.

The initial success of Stellar Blade was largely attributed to Eva's universally appealing design. In stark contrast to the newly revealed artwork, Shift Up's original design of Eva was exceptionally well-received by the gaming community. This incident highlights the significant impact character design has on a game's reception and the potential for backlash when significant changes are made to established, popular characters.