Stellar Blade Studio: Shift Up Staff Rewards Include Apple Watch, AirPods Max & Cash

The South Korean developer has rewarded its 300 employees with a massive New Year's bonus package worth over Dhs 14,000.

Shift Up is making headlines again, and not just for Stellar Blade. The latest news revolves around significant Shift Up staff rewards. According to a report by VGC (citing Seoul Economic Daily), the South Korean studio has kicked off the new year by gifting its 300 employees a massive package including Apple AirPods Max, an Apple Watch, and a significant cash bonus.

This latest round of bonuses continues the studio's tradition of dropping high-value loot for its staff, following a year where they reportedly handed out consoles and cash on numerous occasions.

Shift Up's 2026 Staff Rewards: Apple Watch, AirPods Max & Cash

For this year's celebration, every employee at the studio received a bundle worth more than $4,000 (roughly Dhs 14,700). These impressive Apple Watch AirPods Max gifts include:

Cash bonus: 5 million KRW (approx. Dhs 12,500)
Hardware: Apple AirPods Max
Wearable: Apple Watch

The cash component alone is substantial, but adding premium tech on top makes this one of the most attractive bonus schemes we've seen in the industry. It's a stark contrast to the layoff news that often dominates gaming headlines.

Shift Up's History of Employee Rewards and Bonuses

Shift Up has built a reputation for rewarding its team heavily. These Stellar Blade studio employee bonuses have become a consistent practice. In January 2025, the company reportedly gifted employees a PlayStation 5 Pro along with another 5 million KRW cash bonus. Later that year in June, to celebrate Stellar Blade selling 3 million copies, staff received the Nintendo Switch 2.

Going back further, employees received credit cards preloaded with 10 million KRW (approx. Dhs 25,000) in 2024, and iPhone 14s in 2023. It's a consistent strategy from CEO Kim Hyung Tae, who has stated these bonuses are intended to encourage existing talent and share the company's success.

Here is a breakdown of the studio's gifting history:

Date	Gift Description	Est. Value (AED)
Jan 2023	iPhone 14s + incentives	~3,500+
Jan 2024	Prepaid Credit Card	25,000
Jan 2025	PS5 Pro + Cash	15,500
June 2025	Nintendo Switch 2	1,600+
Jan 2026	Apple Bundle + Cash	14,700

Success Fuels Stellar Blade Studio Employee Bonuses

The studio has the funds to back this up. Following the success of Stellar Blade, Shift Up raised $295 million (Dhs 1.08 billion) in its IPO last summer, marking South Korea's largest gaming IPO in three years. With a publishing partnership with Tencent now in place for their next project, Project Spirits, the studio appears to be in a strong financial position.

For gamers, this suggests a healthy studio culture that could translate into better games. While we wait for news on Stellar Blade 2 or updates on other major titles like the PUBG Mobile Peaky Blinders collab, it's refreshing to see developers getting their share of the loot.

FAQs

What did Shift Up employees get for the new year?

Employees received a package worth over Dhs 14,700, consisting of Apple AirPods Max, an Apple Watch, and 5 million KRW (approx. Dhs 12,500) in cash.

Why does Shift Up give such expensive gifts?

CEO Kim Hyung Tae has stated that these regular bonuses are designed to encourage existing talent and share the company's financial success with the team.

Did Shift Up employees really get a PS5 Pro and Switch 2?

Yes, reports indicate staff received a PS5 Pro and cash in January 2025, followed by a Nintendo Switch 2 in June 2025 to celebrate Stellar Blade's sales milestones.