A concept artist from Naughty Dog shared artwork of Stellar Blade's protagonist, Eva, on X, sparking significant fan backlash. Many criticized the design, describing Eva's appearance as masculine, unattractive, ugly, and even repulsive. A common thread in the negative comments accused the artist of portraying Eva in an "awakened" state.
This negative reaction follows recent criticism of Naughty Dog's inclusion of explicit DEI content in their upcoming game, Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet. The trailer for this sci-fi adventure garnered a record number of dislikes, surpassing even Concord's previous record.
This contrasts sharply with the overwhelmingly positive reception of Eva's original design in Stellar Blade, which contributed significantly to the game's success. The original Eva, universally praised for her beauty, became a fan favorite. The new design, created by a Naughty Dog artist, has clearly failed to resonate with the gaming community in the same way.