Naughty Dog's concept artist sparked controversy after sharing artwork of Stellar Blade's protagonist, Eva, on X. The design, deemed unattractive by many fans, depicted Eva with a masculine appearance. Subsequent comments overwhelmingly criticized the artwork, labeling it "ugly," "terrible," and even "repulsive." Several commenters suggested the design was intentionally "awakened," referencing a current trend in character design.
This incident follows recent criticism of Naughty Dog's inclusion of explicit DEI content in Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet, a sci-fi adventure whose trailer holds the record for most dislikes on a video game trailer. This negative reception contrasts sharply with the enthusiastic response to Stellar Blade's original Eva design, which contributed significantly to the game's success. Shift Up's initial portrayal of Eva as objectively beautiful garnered widespread praise from the gaming community. The stark difference between the two designs highlights a growing divide in player opinions regarding character aesthetics.
