With just weeks to go before Stellar Blade launches on PC, developer Shift Up has issued a statement concerning a growing issue: the game’s region lock on Steam, which currently affects over 100 countries.
Originally released in April 2024 for the PlayStation 5, Stellar Blade earned critical acclaim and commercial success. Capitalizing on its momentum, Shift Up recently announced the Stellar Blade Complete Edition, launching June 11 for both PC and PS5. This version introduces exciting content like 25 new Nano Suits, an all-new boss battle, additional Japanese and Chinese voiceovers, and improved facial animations.
However, as the PC release nears, players began noticing something strange — the game’s Steam store page is inaccessible in over 100 countries, sparking confusion and backlash.
Shift Up Breaks Silence
On May 16, Shift Up addressed the issue in a post on Twitter/X, explaining that the development team is actively discussing the matter with Sony, and is working urgently to resolve the region lock.
“We are aware of the current region lock issue on Steam and are in discussions with Sony to resolve it as soon as possible,” the post read.
This clarification comes as a relief to fans who feared the lockout was permanent or intentional. While no detailed explanation has been provided yet, the transparency is a welcome step.
Key PC Release Details
Alongside the statement, Shift Up also reassured PC players about a few other key points:
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Mods are fully supported with no restrictions.
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PSN account linking is optional, not mandatory.
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The game will include Denuvo DRM, a controversial anti-piracy system.
What’s Next for Players?
The region lock issue underscores an ongoing challenge in global digital game distribution. With the PC gaming market thriving across all regions, fans hope that Sony and Shift Up can remove these access barriers before launch.
In the meantime, players are encouraged to stay tuned to official Stellar Blade social media channels for timely updates.