Stellar Blade fans have accused Naughty Dog's character designer of intentionally uglifying Eve

Naughty Dog's concept artist sparked a heated online debate after sharing artwork of Stellar Blade's protagonist, Eva, on X. The design, deviating significantly from the game's original, was met with overwhelmingly negative feedback. Many fans deemed the new portrayal unattractive and masculine, using terms like "ugly" and "terrible" to describe it. Several comments even suggested the design was intentionally unappealing, a claim fueled by recent controversies surrounding Naughty Dog's inclusion of DEI content in other projects.

This backlash comes on the heels of criticism leveled at Naughty Dog for their use of explicit DEI elements in Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet, a sci-fi adventure whose trailer garnered a record number of dislikes. The stark contrast between the negative response to this new Eva design and the widespread praise for Shift Up's original, universally admired depiction highlights the significant impact character design has on a game's reception. Stellar Blade's initial success was largely attributed to Eva's widely celebrated beauty, underscoring the importance of visual appeal in attracting and engaging players.