Naughty Dog's concept artist sparked controversy after posting artwork of Stellar Blade's protagonist, Eva, on X. The depiction, shared on the game's official account, was met with overwhelmingly negative feedback. Many fans criticized the design, describing Eva's appearance as unattractive, masculine, and even "ugly" and "terrible." A significant portion of the comments expressed disgust, with some suggesting the artwork portrayed an "awakened" version of the character.
This incident follows recent criticism of Naughty Dog's inclusion of explicit DEI content in their upcoming game, Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet. The trailer for this sci-fi adventure garnered a record number of dislikes, surpassing even Concord's earlier record.
The contrast between this new design and Eva's original, widely praised appearance is stark. The original Eva, created by Shift Up, was a significant factor in Stellar Blade's success, captivating players with her universally appealing beauty. The negative reaction to the new concept art highlights the importance of character design in a game's overall reception and the potential impact of artistic choices on fan engagement.
