The next blockbuster PS5 exclusive is getting a free demo — here's how to play

PS5 gamers are being treated to a slew of console-exclusive games this year. We've already enjoyed Helldivers 2, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth and Rise of the Rōnin in recent weeks, and now Stellar Blade is the next blockbuster landing only on PS5 next month. But in welcome news, you’ll be able to play much sooner thanks to a demo. 

After a previous leak all but confirmed the existence of a demo a few weeks back, Sony has now announced that the Stellar Blade demo is launching this week, on Friday, March 29. On this date, the demo will be available for free on the PlayStation Store, and we’ll update this article with the all-important link on that date. 

A PlayStation Blog post has given us more details about the demo and explains that it will begin from the very start of the game and allow players to experience the game up until the first boss fight. Even better, it’s also been confirmed that you will be able to carry across your save data to the full game, so you won’t have to play the demo portion a second time over if you decide to purchase the game next month.

Developed by Shift Up, a South Korean team most well-know for mobile title Destiny Child, Stellar Blade is described by director Hyung Tae Kim as a narrative-driven action-adventure game set on a future Earth overrun by creatures known as the Naytiba with the remnants of humanity now living on an off-world colony.

You play Eve, a member 7th Airborne Squad, sent to Earth on a mission to reclaim the planet, and you’ll start the demo by exploring the city of Eidos 7, which is crawling with Naytiba foes. This tutorial stage will introduce you to the basics of Stellar Blade and should serve as the perfect appetizer ahead of the full game’s launch on Friday, April 26. 

Pre-release demos have become increasingly less common these days, so it’s great to see Stellar Blade buck the trend and give interested players a taste before launch. This free demo is also likely to boost the game’s profile, which is no bad thing as it’s a brand-new original property launching into a game space that is dominated by sequels and remakes. 

If you have even a faint interest in Stellar Blade be sure to download the demo on Friday and see what you make of the game's first chapter. And also stick with Tom’s Guide as we’ll have a full review of Stellar Blade dropping next month once we’ve had the opportunity to get hands-on time. 

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