Stellar Blade, an upcoming video game by SHIFT UP, has received mature content ratings from both South Korea and the US. Read on to learn more about what the game has in store for its intended audiences.
Stellar Blade Receives M17+ in US, 18+ in South Korea
Nudity and Violence Cited as Primary Reasons
The Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) in the US reportedly rated Stellar Blade as "M (Mature 17+)," while the South Korean video game content rating board, GRAC, assigned the game an "18+" rating, as reported by Genki_JP.
According to Korean news site ThisIsGame, the GRAC rating was attributed to two primary factors: instances of direct sexualized nudity and depictions of violence. Stellar Blade features female characters showing miles and miles of skin, appearing almost naked in certain outfits like skintight bodysuits, along with scenes depicting violence such as dismemberment and blood.
SHIFT UP CEO Kim Hyung-Tae previously commented on the nature of the game, stating that Stellar Blade draws heavy influence from other mature-rated game titles like NieR: Automata, to which the game was has been likened, and God of War.
Stellar Blade is expected to heavily depict extreme content in a way that the CEO described as having "no limits of expression."
Given the mature content present in Stellar Blade, some players have suggested that the game may undergo heavy censorship in Japan as the country's rating board, CERO, "doesn’t like dismemberment and aren’t fond of girls showing too much skin either," a user on Twitter (X) pointed out.
However, the game's content rating also drew greater anticipation from fans, reiterating that Stellar Blade is indeed a game for adults. "I think that’s a fair rating for the game 👌," game content creators Across 3 Horizons said on Twitter (X). Other fans went on to say Stellar Blade is already GOTY material due to this, and expressed their excitement about the game delivering on its R-rated nature.
Stellar Blade is set to be released on April 26, 2024 exclusively for PS5. To learn more about the game, check out our article at the link below.
Source:
ThisIsGame: 시프트업 콘솔 신작 '스텔라 블레이드', 청소년이용불가 등급 받았다
Genki_JPN: Stellar Blade has been rated 18+ by the Korean rating board 'GRAC'
