After hitting the KOSPI market in 2024 with a singular focus on game development, Shift Up is now looking to flex its muscles in self-publishing. The studio is currently scouring the talent pool for specialists to bolster its business division.

The current recruitment drive includes roles for Marketing Managers, Creative Leads, Operations/Release Managers, PR/Community Managers, and Localization Producers. Marketing Managers will be tasked with crafting global strategies, while Creative Leads will oversee the aesthetic and tonal consistency across marketing, PR, and social channels. The Operations/Release team will handle global platform launches, while the PR/Community squad shapes the global dialogue. Finally, the Localization Producer is set to map out language support and long-term regional roadmaps.

These roles are clearly focused on bringing their titles to the global stage. The job listing explicitly states, 'Beyond the global success of Goddess of Victory: NIKKE and the worldwide launch of Stellar Blade, Shift Up is preparing for a new leap in the global market. We aim to expand our self-publishing capabilities to support our internally developed titles across console and PC platforms.' A Shift Up representative commented, 'We are strengthening our long-term service capabilities for our titles in line with our global growth.'

This isn't Shift Up's first rodeo with self-publishing. Back in October 2019, the company took the reins for its debut title, Destiny Child. However, that journey came to an end in September 2023, about four years after they took over the service.

During a corporate presentation held ahead of their KOSPI listing in June 2024, CEO Kim Hyung-tae maintained that the studio would remain development-centric. Yet, he hinted at a long-term vision, noting that by working with partners like Sony and Tencent, the company would acquire the necessary expertise to potentially attempt self-publishing once the conditions were ripe.

With Goddess of Victory: NIKKE now in a stable phase and Stellar Blade having made a significant mark on both console and PC, the team likely feels the timing is right for a second attempt at self-publishing.

While Goddess of Victory: NIKKE and the upcoming subculture title 'Project Spirit' are currently under the wings of Level Infinite and Tencent, the sequel to Stellar Blade stands out as a prime candidate for self-publishing. This aligns with the job posting's mention of 'supporting internal titles across console and PC.' Should Shift Up take the reins, we might see them ditch console exclusivity in favor of a simultaneous multi-platform release.