Stellar Blade swept the 2024 Korea Game Awards on November 13th, taking home an impressive seven awards. Read on to discover the game's remarkable achievements at this prestigious ceremony.
Stellar Blade's Triumph at the 2024 Korea Game Awards
Stellar Blade Director Sets Sights on Future Grand Prize Wins
SHIFT UP's Stellar Blade dominated the 2024 Korea Game Awards, securing seven coveted awards, including the prestigious Excellence Award. Held at the Busan Exhibition & Convention Center (BEXCO), the ceremony celebrated the game's exceptional achievements in Game Planning/Scenario, Graphics, Character Design, and Sound Design. Adding to its impressive haul, Stellar Blade also received the Outstanding Developer Award and the Popular Game Award.
This victory marks the fifth Korea Game Awards win for Stellar Blade Director and SHIFT UP CEO, Kim Hyung-tae. His previous successes include Magna Carta 2 (Xbox 360), The War of Genesis 3 (1999), his contributions as Art Director to Blade and Soul (2012), and SHIFT UP's Goddess of Victory: Nikke (2023).
"When we began Stellar Blade, many doubted a Korean-made console game could achieve significant results," Kim Hyung-tae shared in his acceptance speech, as reported by Econovill (translated). "Thanks to our dedicated staff and industry partners, we've proven them wrong."
While Stellar Blade narrowly missed the Grand Prize, which went to Netmarble's Solo Leveling: ARISE, SHIFT UP remains fully committed to its future. Kim Hyung-tae affirmed, "Stellar Blade's journey isn't over. We're preparing substantial updates; stay tuned! Next time, we aim for the grand prize with an even better game."
A complete list of 2024 Korea Game Awards winners is provided below:
| Award | Awardee | Company |
|---|---|
| Grand Presidential Award | Solo Leveling: ARISE | Netmarble |
| Prime Minister Award | Stellar Blade (Excellence Award) | SHIFT UP |
| Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Award (Best Game Award) | |
| Trickcal Re:VIVE | Epid Games |
| Lord Nine | Smilegate |
| The First Descendant | Nexon Games |
| Sports Shipbuilding President Award | |
| Stellar Blade (Best Planning/Scenario) | SHIFT UP |
| Stellar Blade (Best Sound Design) | |
| Electronic Times President Award | |
| Stellar Blade (Best Graphics) | |
| Stellar Blade (Best Character Design) | |
| Commendation from the Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism | |
| Hanwha Life Esports (eSports Development Award) | |
| Gyu-Cheol Kim (Achievement Award) | Minister of Culture, Sports, and Tourism Award |
| Kim Hyung-Tae (Outstanding Developer Award) | SHIFT UP |
| Stellar Blade (Popular Game Award) | |
| Terminus: Zombie Survivors (Indie Game Award) | Longplay Studios |
| Korean Creative Content Agency President Award | ReLU Games (Startup Company Award) |
| Game Management Committee Chairperson Award | Smilegate Megaport (Proper Gaming Environment Creation Company Award) |
| Game Cultural Foundation Director Award | Uncover the Smoking Gun | ReLU Games |
Although Stellar Blade wasn't nominated for the Ultimate Game of the Year at the 2024 Golden Joystick Awards, its chances for further recognition at The Game Awards 2024 remain.
Stellar Blade's momentum continues unabated. A highly anticipated collaboration with Platinum Games' NieR: Automata (launching November 20th) and a planned 2025 PC release will significantly broaden its reach. SHIFT UP's Q3 business performance report reflects a strong commitment to maintaining the IP's popularity through increased marketing and content updates.
This is only the beginning for Stellar Blade. Further content updates and patches are on the horizon, and its recent domestic and international success will hopefully inspire future Korean AAA game development, creating titles that compete with the best in the industry.
