After making waves with Stellar Blade and the global success of Goddess of Victory: NIKKE, South Korean developer SHIFT UP is aiming even higher with its newest project: Project Spirits.
Previously known under the codename Project Witches, this game represents a major step forward in the studio’s evolution from a mobile focused developer to a full-blown AAA powerhouse competing with the biggest names in the RPG space.
Described as a “next-generation mega subculture IP,” Project Spirits blends urban science fiction with fantasy and anime aesthetics, combining elements that fans of series like Genshin Impact, Fate/Grand Order, and Honkai: Star Railwill find familiar and appealing.
However, SHIFT UP seems determined to carve its own path. This won’t be a simple imitation it’s poised to offer a mature, refined experience that balances deep narrative with accessible action gameplay and cross-platform capabilities.
The studio is betting big on this title. SHIFT UP has launched a massive hiring campaign, aiming to expand its team from around 320 employees to over 400, with the majority of new hires set to work directly on Project Spirits.
That expansion isn’t just about manpower it’s about bringing in talent across disciplines, including Unreal Engine 5 experts, open-world designers, technical artists, and combat system developers. Every detail suggests SHIFT UP is building a long-term IP, not just a single release.
One of the most intriguing aspects of Project Spirits is its planned cross-platform rollout. The game is being developed for consoles, PC, and mobile simultaneously, and SHIFT UP has confirmed that it will support cross-play.
That means players on any device can explore the same world, team up for combat, and experience the same narrative regardless of their platform. This level of integration is a growing trend in the industry, and SHIFT UP is positioning itself to compete at the forefront of this movement.
Though the studio has yet to reveal detailed gameplay footage, early descriptions hint at real-time action combat set in a richly designed open world.
The team is focused on delivering a responsive and cinematic gameplay experience something they mastered with Stellar Blade while expanding it with RPG systems like character progression, exploration, and team building. With anime style character design and storytelling at the core, fans can expect a strong narrative foundation enriched with deep lore and memorable personalities.
It’s also likely that Project Spirits will incorporate some form of gacha system, given SHIFT UP’s experience with NIKKE. However, the scope of this title seems to go far beyond mobile monetization mechanics, and the studio’s commitment to a full console and PC release suggests a broader, more balanced approach to monetization and game design.
Visually, Project Spirits will leverage the power of Unreal Engine 5, bringing next-gen graphics, dynamic lighting, and large scale environments to life with cutting edge fidelity.
While SHIFT UP has already proven its ability to create visually stunning worlds, the shift to open world fantasy and sci-fi settings presents a new level of creative potential and technical challenge.
More details, including gameplay trailers and story previews, are expected to arrive in the first half of 2025. Until then, Project Spirits remains one of the most mysterious and exciting projects on the horizon not just for fans of anime RPGs, but for anyone following the growth of South Korean game development in the global market.
If SHIFT UP delivers on its vision, Project Spirits could very well become one of the next genre-defining titles of the decade.