Did The Stellar Blade Controversy Lead To Higher Sales?

Since the announcement, it has been clear that Stellar Blade will be a top seller. The conversation regarding the looks of the lead protagonist pushed the video game to the front pages of every article and online post. However, like many coming-of-age stories, PlayStation fumbled the ball on the 22-yard line for what should have been a clear-cut touchdown. Now the question becomes, how did this fumble affect sales? If you are confused, allow me to set the stage. By this point, you should already be familiar with the lead-up. There is a pretty girl in Stellar Blade. That is about it.

One side celebrated the decision, and the other thought it was a regressive move. I have voiced my opinion on the matter multiple times and see little value in doing so again. However, this game garnered so much attention because of what many saw as anti-censorship. Over the years, there has been an active push to change the appearance of video game leads. In most cases, it has always been accepted that the lead would have a certain level of sex appeal. It is a simple science. Pretty people sell more in movies, music, or video games.

It is cruel to say, but no one likes to stare at a fat, ugly person. It is a proven fact that both men and women value appearances. That means pretty people move more units. However, a handful of people reject this fact in favor of fantasy. Sony, in the beginning, was determined to release this game in all its glory but, towards the end, made a few small changes that turned some fans against the title.

From Stellar Blade Controversy To Sales

However, most of Stellar Blade remains uncensored, and the lead remains attractive. So, let’s answer the question. Did the pretty girl help with sales? I think we all know the answer to this question. Stellar Blade, by all measurements, is considered a commercial success. While some might have been disappointed towards the end, most are still positive about the release. With that, let’s take a look at the actual numbers. The game quickly jumped to number one in Japan, selling almost 1 million copies in the first 24 hours.

As per Sportskeeda, “According to an insider, it seems that the PlayStation 5 game is doing exceptionally well in terms of sales, hence the stocks are depleting quickly. This may be why consumers are facing restrictions when trying to purchase copies of the game. The same point was also Highlighted by analyst Dr. Serkan Toto of Kantan Games.” However, it should also be noted that the game is performing slightly worse in Europe. Sales for Stellar Blade are lacking behind GTA 5 and Sea of Thieves.

This, however, does not matter as much since it is total global sales that count. While I don’t believe Stellar Blade will go on to break records, it is well on its way to being considered a success. Should Sony decide to release the title on PC, that number will increase significantly. It also helps that the title is relatively good. The large publishers who all cried about the lead’s appearance have scored the game low, but more indented content creators seem to enjoy it. Overall, it is a massive positive start to the game as sales grow.

Conclusion

As stated, while the game is struggling in Europe, the title is also going quite well in the United States. It was the second best-selling game on the charts. Ultimately, I see this title selling close to 10 million units in total. However, I see it going even better once a PC version is released. In the end, Stellar Blade might not have completely stuck the landing, but the release is still worth praising. The game has a lot to offer outside of just an attractive lead.

Behind all the drama is an entertaining game worth picking up, even if you wait for a discount sale.