Shift Up CEO says his Stellar Blade and NIKKE character designs come from “following his instincts” 

In a recent interview with GAME Watch, Shift Up CEO Hyung-tae Kim and Goddess of Victory: Nikke director Hyung-seok Yoo talked about their inspirations for creating some of the game studio’s many memorable characters. If you’re wondering what a CEO like Kim has to do with game design, he is one of the people in charge of the Goddess of Victory: Nikke’s character designs as well as the director, producer, and a designer for Stellar Blade. Before his days at Shift Up, he was an artist and designer for titles like Blade and Soul and Magna Carta. 

When asked by Game Watch about his decidedly voluptuous character designs for Stellar Blade and Nikke, Kim comments, “It’s not something I do consciously. The users like it and there’s a demand for it, but it’s also something I personally like, so the designs are just a natural result of me following my instincts.” 

Kim delves a little deeper into Goddess of Victory: Nikke’s character design process, saying that his design philosophy has become ingrained within the rest of the staff members: “By the way, the ratio of female creators we have working on Nikke is high, but the team still values these kinds of character designs. It makes me feel almost as if my DNA has had an effect on the staff, which I’m secretly very happy about.” 

Despite the numerous collaborations and alternative outfits in Goddess of Victory: Nikke, Kim says that the most important thing when designing new characters is to make sure they fit into the overarching narrative. Each character’s design elements must fit the story in some way and reflect their personality. While Kim admits that looking attractive is important, it is secondary to the character’s importance in Nikke’s post-apocalyptic future Earth. 

So just who are Hyung-tae Kim and Hyung-seok’s Yoo favorite Nikkes? 

Kim’s pick is Anis, as he was not only involved in her character design, but considers her his “ideal type of woman,” both in terms of figure and personality. 

Yoo prefers Snow White, as she appears often in both the past and present stories told in the game. Her questions about the Nikkes’ nature and humanity give her depth and make her more relatable. 

Kim, Yoo, and the rest of the Goddess of Victory: Nikke development team at Shift Up are currently hard at work on the game’s second anniversary, so expect more appealing character designs that tie into the story.