Information about the next Stellar Blade and Project Spirits will be revealed in 2026, developer SHIFT UP announced in its financial results for Q1 2026.
Both the next Stellar Blade and new titles by Shinji Mikami’s UNBOUND, which SHIFT UP recently acquired, will be self-published by SHIFT UP.
■ Goddess of Victory: NIKKE
What is the expected performance of Goddess of Victory: NIKKE in 2026?
Goddess of Victory: NIKKE recently delivered a highly successful 3.5th anniversary update that received overwhelmingly positive reception from the global player community. The event featured compelling new characters and a major content update, driving strong engagement and meaningful results across key metrics, including top grossing rankings on iOS and Android. Notable achievements include #1 top grossing on both iOS and Android in Korea, #1 top grossing on both iOS and Android in Japan, #4 on iOS in Taiwan, and #17 on iOS in the U.S.
These results demonstrate that NIKKE‘s intellectual property appeal and original content quality continue to strengthen even as the title enters its fourth year. We expect this positive momentum to carry into 2026, with substantial seasonal events planned for the first half and a large-scale fourth anniversary update in the second half that aims to surpass the 3.5th anniversary milestones. Building on the trust we have established with our players, we remain committed to expanding the NIKKE universe and delivering high-quality original content.
What is the strategy for elevating the Goddess of Victory: NIKKE intellectual property going forward?
Goddess of Victory: NIKKE is advancing the intellectual property lifecycle through two key pillars: strengthening in-game content and expanding intellectual property-driven business initiatives.
On the in-game side, we are continuously introducing new gameplay experiences to sustain long-term product lifecycle momentum. Now in its fourth year, NIKKE aims to deliver fresh, engaging content each season that goes beyond repetitive consumption patterns, and we are seeing positive results across various user engagement metrics.
On the intellectual property business side, we have entered a phase of progressively expanding our merchandise operations. Leveraging the strong brand recognition and fandom around NIKKE‘s characters, we are broadening our product lineup and increasing offline touchpoints for the intellectual property. Going forward, we plan to continue investing in intellectual property elevation through universe expansion, merchandise diversification, and offline events—ensuring that players can enjoy Goddess of Victory: NIKKE both in and beyond the game.
■ Stellar Blade
What is the expected performance of Stellar Blade in 2026?
Stellar Blade has maintained steady sales since launch, solidifying its position as an evergreen intellectual property in the PC/console market. This quarter, seasonal promotions and discount events continued to drive new player acquisition, with stable long-term sales trends confirmed across all platforms.
Leading up to the release of the next Stellar Blade title, we will continue efforts to broaden the franchise’s brand awareness through collaborations with global intellectual properties and other initiatives.
Looking ahead, we plan to sustain sales momentum through seasonal and holiday promotions as well as strategic discounting, while also actively exploring further platform expansion. We remain committed to maximizing the long-term value of the intellectual property to repay the support of our global player community.
What is the development and publishing strategy for the next title?
Development of the next Stellar Blade title is progressing smoothly, on track to meet our targeted quality standards.
Notably, starting with this next title, SHIFT UP will transition to a first-party service model. This will allow us to lead marketing strategies that fully reflect the distinctive identity of the Stellar Blade intellectual property, and we expect to communicate the unique appeal of its universe to players more directly and effectively. Building on the strong fandom and evergreen intellectual property status established by the first Stellar Blade, we are formulating an optimal go-to-market strategy designed to maximize sales and reach a broad global audience from day one.
With three key tailwinds—high-quality self-publishing capabilities, a sales maximization strategy, and a proven intellectual property fanbase—we are confident the next title will deliver meaningfully improved results compared to its predecessor.
■ Project Spirits
What is the current status of ?
Project Spirits, SHIFT UP’s next flagship title, is progressing well, underpinned by efficient cost management and a well-structured development process. We plan to share more details on the new title with players within 2026.
We look forward to the continued interest and support of our fans and the broader community.
■ UNBOUND
What is the background behind the partnership with UNBOUND?
This partnership is structured as an acquisition / hire deal. SHIFT UP and UNBOUND share a strong alignment in strategic direction, and the synergies achievable through collaboration were clear, making the decision to join forces a natural one. We are already collaborating across multiple areas including worldbuilding and creative planning, generating positive outcomes for both parties on the game development front.
UNBOUND’s team of approximately 60 developers—many of whom have experience creating and successfully launching globally recognized intellectual properties—is fully dedicated to bringing new titles to players.
With multiple projects currently in development spanning both high-end and mid-scale titles, we expect a sequential rollout of new releases. Details on the titles under development at UNBOUND will be shared with the market and players progressively over time.
■ First-Party Publishing
What is the direction for expanding your publishing business?
We intend to self-publish (first-party service) both the next Stellar Blade title and UNBOUND’s titles. To support this, we are continuously bringing on board global talent with experience in launching and operating major titles worldwide.
he opportunity to directly publish the next Stellar Blade and UNBOUND titles on a global scale is proving to be a compelling draw for top industry professionals, enabling us to rapidly strengthen our in-house publishing capabilities.
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