Signs of Multiplayer Found in Stellar Blade Game Files, No Mod Yet

Reports suggesting that modders uncovered a hidden multiplayer mode in Stellar Blade are being clarified by the very modder who sparked the buzz. PhantomSomnus, the creator of a now-viral split-screen gameplay video, has taken to social media to set the record straight: the two-player mode was not a secret feature built by developer Shift Up, nor was it a reactivated dormant multiplayer system.

"I woke up to everyone posting clips that I shared in a Discord completely out of context," PhantomSomnus stated on X/Twitter. "I avoided tweeting these for a reason." They explained that the split-screen functionality stems from Unreal Engine’s built-in local multiplayer capabilities, not from any intentional design by Shift Up. "Split-screen mode is built into Unreal Engine, [Stellar Blade developer] Shift Up did not create it."

Using this engine-level feature, PhantomSomnus was able to spawn a second instance of the protagonist, Eve, resulting in a dual-view gameplay experience. However, the experiment didn’t achieve full multiplayer functionality. "The reason why I set up split-screen was to see if I could get any of it to work, but as you can see I failed," they wrote in a Reddit post.

While the split-screen mode is user-modded and not native to Stellar Blade, PhantomSomnus confirmed that evidence of multiplayer elements does exist within the game's files. "There ARE signs of multiplayer in the game," they noted, "but they're online only." A previous post included a screenshot revealing remnants of what they describe as an "old scrapped/unused multiplayer PVP mode," including leftover menus and backend structures. However, these components are non-functional and appear to have been abandoned during development.

As for the possibility of future multiplayer updates or mods enabling co-op or PvP, PhantomSomnus remains skeptical. "Very unlikely," they concluded.

The PC version of Stellar Blade launches on Steam on June 11, bringing a host of enhancements such as AI upscaling via Nvidia DLSS 4 and AMD FSR 3, an unlocked framerate, support for ultrawide displays, improved environment textures, Japanese and Chinese voiceovers, and DualSense controller integration for haptic feedback and adaptive triggers. Previously restricted in over 100 regions, the game is now available for pre-order in more than 250 regions worldwide.

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IGN’s Stellar Blade review awarded the game a 7/10, praising its core action gameplay while critiquing its underdeveloped characters, unengaging story, and cumbersome RPG mechanics. “Stellar Blade is great in all of the most important ways for an action game,” the review noted, “but dull characters, a lackluster story, and several frustrating elements of its RPG mechanics prevent it from soaring along with the best of the genre.”