Shift Up Gifts Nintendo Switch 2 Consoles to All Employees After Stellar Blade Hits 3 Million Sales

Shift Up CEO Kim Hyung-hyung speaks at Nintendo Switch 2 distribution event held on June 18 (credit: Playforum)

South Korean game developer Shift Up is once again proving it knows how to celebrate success — by giving back to the people who made it possible.

Following Stellar Blade surpassing a remarkable 3 million global sales, the studio gifted all of its 300+ employees a Nintendo Switch 2.

The news comes from South Korean outlet PlayForum today, on June 18, as translated by Genki.

This isn’t the first time Shift Up has gone all-in on appreciation. Back in 2021, the company gifted each staff member a PlayStation 5 to mark the announcement of Project Eve (now Stellar Blade) as a PS5 exclusive.

And earlier in 2025, employees walked away with the PS5 Pro and a 5 million won bonus (approximately $5,000 USD) after continued strong performance by both the game and the company itself.

A Milestone Worth Celebrating

Originally released as a PlayStation 5 exclusive in April 2024, Stellar Blade made a huge impact with its stunning visuals, tight combat, and uniquely stylized design. The game’s transition to PC via Steam further fueled its momentum. Last Sunday, the game saw it reach 193,000 concurrent players, highlighting strong demand from a global audience.

This success and given ongoing rumors of a Stellar Blade port in development for Nintendo’s next-gen console likely played a key role in the decision to distribute Switch 2 units.

Financial Success and Growth

Shift Up’s achievements extend beyond just game sales. In July 2024, the company made headlines by pulling off a hugely successful initial public offering (IPO), raising around 435 billion won (approx. $320 million) on its first day of trading. By September 2024, Stellar Blade had generated 48.4 billion won (about $34.6 million) in revenue, while its mobile RPG Goddess of Victory: Nikke remained a major revenue driver, bringing in 51.9 billion won (approx. $37.2 million).

Thanks to these strong performances, Shift Up closed the year with a 30% year-over-year revenue increase, hitting $151.4 million in total revenue and $102.3 million in operating profit, a 33.8% boost compared to the previous year.

Founded in 2013 by renowned Korean artist and game designer Kim Hyung-tae, Shift Up started as a mobile game studio with titles like Destiny Child and Goddess of Victory: Nikke. But the 2019 reveal of Project Eve signaled a bold pivot into the console space. By 2021, the PlayStation partnership confirmed Shift Up's place in the AAA development world — a move that continues to pay off.