Naughty Dog's concept artist sparked controversy after sharing artwork of Stellar Blade's protagonist, Eva, on X. Fans overwhelmingly criticized the design, deeming it unattractive and masculine, with many comments labeling it "ugly" and "terrible." The artwork was widely considered repulsive, and some accused the artist of depicting Eva in an "awakened" state.

This incident 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 earlier record. This negative reception contrasts sharply with the success of Stellar Blade, a game whose popularity was significantly attributed to Eva's universally admired beauty. Shift Up's original design of Eva was well-received, making the new, drastically different design even more contentious.