Kim Hyung-tae, who made a big splash internationally with Stellar Blade, is not only known for his creative vision in the gaming world, but also for his remarkable financial success. Kim, who once started his career as a talented game artist, has now managed to enter the 50 richest people in Korea as the founder and chairman of the successful game development studio Shift Up. According to Forbes, Kim Hyung-tae's personal wealth is around $725 million, and this impressive rise is due to great successes achieved in both the mobile platform and console worlds.
Nikke's Mobile Triumph, Stellar Blade's Console Success
Kim Hyung-tae’s rapid and impressive rise to fame was based on the popular mobile game Goddess of Victory: Nikke, developed by Shift Up. The game, which attracted a wide audience with its anime-style “waifu” character theme, was a huge commercial success in the mobile gaming market, allowing Shift Up to generate significant revenue. This financial strength allowed the company to focus on larger budget, single-player projects, and gave birth to Stellar Blade, a PlayStation 5 exclusive.
The success of Stellar Blade was not limited to high sales figures. Kim Hyung-tae’s personal contribution to the project also played a significant role in this success. Kim, who holds key positions such as director, assistant producer, and designer, is at the very center of the creative process despite being the company’s top executive. This clearly shows his deep commitment to the project and attention to detail.
2024 Was a Record-Breaking Year for Shift Up
The year 2024 was a turning point for Shift Up. The fact that Stellar Blade received more attention than expected further solidified the studio's position in the gaming world. This commercial success naturally directly reflected Kim Hyung-tae's personal fortune, while gamers and industry analysts began to eagerly await what projects the company would focus on in the future.
Shift Up is currently known to be working on a new project, but it is not yet clear whether this game will be a mobile game similar to Nikke or a story-driven console game like Stellar Blade. However, there is already a high expectation of quality in any project developed under the leadership of Kim Hyung-tae. Shift Up continues to increase its influence in the Korean gaming industry not only with the successful games it produces, but also with the revenue it generates and the strong brand image it creates.
