LogInApparently, a PvP multiplayer mode was cut at some stage during development.
A demo version of Stellar Blade's PC release was dropped ahead of the full launch on June 11, and naturally, modders and fans have been digging into its files throughout the weekend, making tons of fascinating discoveries. One modder, known online as Somnus, from the Ludens, has gained attention for finding what appear to be leftover traces of Stellar Blade's multiplayer PvP mode, which seemingly was left on the cutting room floor at some point during development.
After going through Stellar Blade's PC files, Somnus found several widgets related to a multiplayer PvP mode based on the asset names. Considering that both the original and PC editions of Stellar Blade are strictly single-player, it can be assumed that Shift Up initially planned to add multiplayer but changed its mind at some point before the 2024 release for unknown reasons.
On top of that, the modder found a "game over" screen in Korean with a line of text reading "Back to Single Player," further confirming that the uncovered uassets really do pertain to a removed multiplayer mode:
Additionally, Somnus has addressed their earlier Stellar Blade split-screen demo going around Twitter being described as multiplayer, saying that the two have nothing to do with one another. "Split screen mode is built into Unreal Engine, Shift Up did not create it. There are signs of a multiplayer in the game, but they're online only," the modder noted. "I specifically avoided tweeting about the split screen so this wouldn't happen."
If you are an 80 Level regular, the name "Somnus" might ring a bell, as they previously confirmed that the PC version of Stellar Blade will be powered by Unreal Engine 4.26, the same engine used for the original PlayStation 5 release.
Try out Stellar Blade's demo yourself and don't forget to join our 80 Level Talent platform and our new Discord server, follow us on Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, Telegram, TikTok, and Threads, where we share breakdowns, the latest news, awesome artworks, and more.