The new PS5 game Stellar Blade has used the body scan of a South Korean model as a template for its heroine. The company behind the game is known for placing special emphasis on the buttocks of its characters. In an interview, the head of the game, Hyung-Tae Kim, explains why.
This was the controversy surrounding Stellar Blade:
- We reported on MeinMMO on January 2 that Stellar Blade uses the body scan of a South Korean model as a template for the heroine Eve.
- This was highlighted positively by some Western users on Twitter, claiming: In the West, they made the protagonist Eve deliberately “ugly”.
- This referred to a discussion about unrealistic beauty standards that has led in the West to characters like Aloy not being tailored to “glossy magazine” looks, but rather appearing more realistic.
“Players look at the rear most of the time”
This is what the developers say: In a conversation with Gamesradar , the game director is directly addressed on these points. At Gamesradar, they know: The company behind Stellar Blade, Shift Up, is known for the gacha game Goddess of Victory: Nikke, and the game is known for its wiggling buttocks.
The developer makes no secret of what he focuses on, stating: “When it comes to design, we place special emphasis on the rear part of the character because players always look at it when they play. They see it the most, so it is important for us.”
“I want to see someone who looks more attractive than I do”
What does he think of beautiful characters? The game director says: “Honestly, when I play a game, I want to see someone who looks more attractive than I do. That’s what I want. I don’t want to see anything normal; I want to see something ideal. […] After all, it’s entertainment aimed at adults.”
This is what he says about his heroine: Regarding his heroine Eve, he mentions that she doesn’t start in a great situation, but as the story progresses, she takes on more and more responsibility and makes important decisions. This changes her throughout the storyline.
Less looking at the butt, more moving out of the fire
How is this being discussed? On reddit, the statements of the game director are being discussed and commented on:
- There is hope that the developers do not only orient themselves visually to Nier: Automata but also maintain the quality of the game.
- There is agreement with the thesis that it does matter how a character looks from behind. This also applies to characters like Spiderman.
- One person cynically remarks: Maybe people in MMORPG raids would not constantly stand in fire if they stopped looking at the butts of their heroes.
Stellar Blade will be released on April 26, 2024, for PlayStation 5.
More about Stellar Blade: New PS5 game uses 3D scan of a model as a template for heroine – Critics snark: “In the West, she would be ugly”
