Stellar Blade in-game art referencing racial slur will be removed, says Sony

Stellar Blade in-game graffiti which references a racial slur will be patched out in the game’s day-one patch, Sony has said.

As pointed out by IGN, an in-game shop, known as the ‘R Shop’, appears in Stellar Blade. In one instance, pictured below, generic graffiti reading ‘Hard’ is placed next to it.

When viewed together, this evokes a reference to racist language, which Sony claimed was unintentional.

The ‘Hard’ graffiti graphic appears in several areas of the game, with only one currently known instance of it being placed next to an R Shop, thus forming the phrase.

“The placement of two graphics near each other in Stellar Blade resulted in an unintentionally objectionable phrase,” reads PlayStation‘s statement to IGN. “Shift Up had no intention of creating offensive artwork and will be replacing the graffiti for the Day 1 patch.”

When asked if physical copies of the game will be updated in future print runs of the game, Sony reiterated to IGN that the image “should be removed for all users in the Day 1 update.”

Further reading

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Review: Stellar Blade is one of the most mechanically satisfying action games of the generation

Shift Up's console debut delivers a refreshing refinement of the well-worn character action formula

The PS5 exclusive will be released on April 26. VGC’s Stellar Blade review called it “one of the most mechanically satisfying action games of the generation.”

We said: “For those who wished that God of War Ragnarok offered a bit more challenge or that Bayonetta had a bit more weight to its combat, this slick sci-fi slasher is the perfect tonic, offering both the perfect entry point into the Souls-like genre and a refreshing refinement of the well-worn character action formula.”