Summary
Stellar Bladedirector and Shift Up founder Kim Hyung-tae is now one of the 50 richest people in Korea, with his net worth being in the $725 million range. The success of 2024’sStellar Bladeboosted Shift Up to new levels of success, with the game continuing to receive updates well into the new year and a PC port on the way.
One of thebest-rated games of 2024,Stellar Bladewas released as a PlayStation 5 exclusive and continues to pull in players nearly one year after its launch. The title follows Eve, a soldier tasked with saving humanity from creatures called Naytiba that have infested the planet. While the game has been an obvious hit, discourse surroundedStellar Bladeahead of its release, with many online criticizing the main character’s appearance. In the end, its combat won over many of its early detractors, along with its art style and soundtrack. The success achieved by the action game has had a major impact on its director, who can now claim a very impressive title.
According to a new report fromForbes, Shift Up founder andStellar Bladedirector Kim Hyung-tae is now one of Korea’s 50 richest people, boasting an astonishing net worth of $725 million. While much of the studio’s success has been attributed toStellar Blade’s performance, Shift Up also created the gacha gameGoddess of Victory: Nikke, which topped a mind-boggling $1 billion in lifetime revenue in March 2025. The success doesn’t seem to have gone to Hyung-tae’s head, as in January,Shift Up gave generous bonuses to all employees, which included a PlayStation 5 Pro and around $3,400 to celebrateStellar Blade’s success.
Stellar Blade Director Kim Hung-tae is Now Worth Around $725 Million
Those without a PS5 wanting to try the popular action-adventure game won’t need to wait long, asStellar Bladewill be released for PC in June 2025. While the title sold incredibly well on Sony’s flagship console, Shift Up believes that it will do even better on PC, andStellar Bladewill reportedly be Steam Deck optimizedat launch. The company has also teased additional content for the game’s PC release, though it’s currently unclear what this will entail.
Also releasing in June isthe newestStellar BladeDLC, which will include a crossover withGoddess of Victory: Nikke. Players can also look forward to a new boss and a fresh area to explore, though additional details are currently scarce. Shift Up is also currently hard at work on a new IP calledProject Witches, which is said to be a gacha game that will launch globally across PC, console, and mobile devices.
