Hyoung Taek Nam, a concept designer closely associated with Naughty Dog, recently faced some backlash over his fan art of Eve, the main character in Stellar Blade. The artwork, which caught the eyes of many when reshared by the game’s official X (previously known as Twitter) account, sparked a heated debate. Many fans labeled the depiction as “ugly” and “revolting,” which prompted further responses from Stellar Blade’s developers, Shift Up, who posted additional art by Nam in defense.
In the initial display of Nam’s work, the uproar didn’t seem to be about the skill level demonstrated in the piece. Instead, it appeared to be a vocal minority bothered by Nam’s unique take on Eve. The fan art portrays Eve engaged in a fierce battle with a Naytiba, but it seems the underlying issue is less about the art itself and more about differing interpretations.
This reaction is perhaps intensified by Nam’s links to Naughty Dog, a studio known for its realistic art style, which some detractors mistakenly equate with a “woke” approach. Consequently, Nam’s conceptualization of Eve drew harsh judgments that are not entirely unexpected given these conditions.
Shortly after the controversy erupted, the Stellar Blade team unveiled another piece from Nam, this time showcasing a softer, more delicate portrait of Eve. Accompanying this reveal was a statement from Shift Up addressing the prior critiques, emphasizing the value and diversity found in artistic styles.
“Artist Nam Hyoung Taek has provided us with another beautiful depiction of Eve,” explained the team at Shift Up. “We are immensely thankful for this contribution and sincerely appreciate fan art in its various forms, including the previous style.” They went further to mention that it’s typical and quite valuable for fan art to reflect more of the artist’s personal touch, which adds a unique charm and diversity to the artistic landscape.
For those unacquainted, Stellar Blade made its debut exclusively on the PlayStation 5 back in April. Since its release, the game has seen a plethora of updates, including optimizations for the PS5 Pro and some exciting Nier: Automata crossover DLC, keeping the fans engaged and the gameplay experience fresh.
