Stellar Blade Demo Draws Massive Playtime

The hack-and-slash action game Stellar Blade has seen its demo played extensively, with some players spending over 50 hours on it. This has prompted developer Shift Up to encourage moderation in demo gameplay. Released on March 29, the Stellar Blade demo lets players control Eve as she faces the Naytiba threat. Featuring an hour-long play with a boss fight, this demo allows progress to carry over to the full game, set for release on April 26 exclusively on PS5.

Shift Up has expressed gratitude for the enthusiasm but suggested players preserve the full game experience by not overindulging in the demo. They shared their concerns on X/Twitter, highlighting the intense engagement from the community.

The demo’s popularity is evident, having reached 690k daily active users at its peak, nearly double that of the Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth demo. Despite concerns over the sexualized nature of the lead character’s suit, which adds a layer of difficulty, the interest in Stellar Blade remains high.

In addition, the game will offer various difficulty options and an Action Assist feature during boss fights to help players adapt to combat mechanics. These elements were well-received in initial reviews, comparing the game’s combat to that of NieR: Automata and Sekiro. For further insights, Digital Foundry has analyzed the demo’s technical aspects, underscoring its potential ahead of the full release.

Stellar Blade promises to blend challenging gameplay with strategic combat options, appealing to both hardcore and casual fans of action games.