Shift Up is looking to expand its business scope into self-publishing. Following the new title from Unbound—the developer they acquired in April—the studio has confirmed that the successor to its flagship hit, Stellar Blade, will also be handled in-house.

Shift Up unveiled its future roadmap on the 11th alongside its Q1 2026 earnings report, and the most eye-catching detail is their renewed attempt at self-publishing. Shift Up has brought Shinji Mikami's Unbound into the fold as a subsidiary, securing a wealth of PC and console IP in the process. They have confirmed that both the upcoming Stellar Blade sequel and Unbound's new project will be released under their own publishing banner.

Regarding the decision to self-publish the Stellar Blade sequel, Shift Up remarked, "This allows us to take the lead on marketing strategies that fully capture the unique identity of the Stellar Blade IP." They added, "Building on the solid fandom and status as a steady-selling IP established by its predecessor, we aim to devise an optimal strategy to maximize sales and reach a broad global audience right from the launch."

On the expansion of their publishing business, the studio explained, "We are currently bringing in talent with extensive experience in launching and servicing major global titles. The prospect of directly managing the global service for both the Stellar Blade successor and the new Unbound project is proving to be a massive draw for industry veterans, which is helping us rapidly bolster our in-house capabilities."

Shift Up did handle the service for Destiny Child before going public, but during their KOSPI listing in 2024, they stated they would remain a developer-focused studio. Indeed, both Goddess of Victory: NIKKE and Stellar Blade were released through external publishers. Now that both titles have stabilized, the company is pivoting back to self-publishing. Notably, taking the reins on the Stellar Blade sequel could pave the way for a simultaneous launch across both console and PC platforms.