Gab Hernandez 
The embargo date for reviews on Stellar Blade, as well as the timetable for review copies to circulate, may have been revealed.
Stellar Blade is one of the most highly anticipated video games of 2024. Initially developed for the PlayStation 4, Windows, and Xbox One as Project Eve, developer Shift Up pivoted and turned the game into a PlayStation 5 exclusive. Ahead of its release, the game has been heavily discussed due to both its content and the heavily praised demo.
Regardless, there’s no denying Stellar Blade has plenty of eyes on it approaching. While the demo has been a hit, many are still on the fence about actually buying it and will want to check the critical reaction before putting down cash.
When will Stellar Blade’s review embargo lift?
Stellar Blade’s review embargo will reportedly lift on April 24, 2024.
This comes from Insider Gaming’s Tom Henderson, who also stated Shift Up is ready to distribute review copies. Stellar Blade will be released on April 26, 2024, two days after the embargo lifts.
Sometimes, the embargo date hints at a studio or publisher’s confidence in the final product. For example, Square Enix lifted the Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth embargo a week before its launch, and the final product proved to be a hit with fans. It’s not necessarily indicative of a game’s quality by its lonesome and many critically successful games have had similar timing to their embargos.
Plenty of successful AAA titles, including Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 and Hogwarts Legacy, lifted their respective embargos in less than a week from release. Gamers can also gauge how well the game suits their taste by downloading the demo. In fact, a shocking number of people have done so.
How many people played Stellar Blade’s demo?
Stellar Blade’s demo reportedly reached close to 700,000 daily players.
The overall reception to the demo has been positive, with many praising the action-packed gameplay and massive setpieces. The demo boasts a 60fps performance mode and utilizes the PlayStation 5’s impressive capabilities in a way that few other titles have been able to match. The buzz surrounding the game has also translated into hard numbers, with Ampere Analysis reporting massive player counts for the demo.
Regardless of the demo’s subjective quality and its lack of a price tag, nearly 700,000 people checking out a studio’s brand-new IP is nothing to scoff at. Never even mind 700,000 in one day.
Shift Up also confirmed the demo’s save data will carry over to the final release. If the goal is to bring in as many people as possible, letting demo players continue seamlessly in the final release could prove fruitful and may be enough to guarantee a DLC expansion after launch.
