Players worldwide are diving into Black Myth: Wukong, an action role-playing game that has quickly become one of the most successful video games developed in China.
Featuring shape-shifting monkeys and epic battles against giant demons, the game was released globally on August 20, achieving remarkable success on its opening day, with nearly 1.2 million pre-release copies sold and a peak of over 1.4 million concurrent players on Steam.
Li Song, a gamer in Beijing, expressed his excitement after purchasing the game as soon as it became available for pre-order. “It feels great,” he said, as his character navigated a vibrant forest, dodging furry adversaries and transforming into an insect. “The controls and overall experience are solid,” he added.
China’s First “Triple A” Game
Now, reembark on the Journey to the West!#BlackMythWukong is now available on PS5, Steam, Epic Games Store, and WeGame. Confront your destiny on the journey westwards! pic.twitter.com/CMsnde97Ho
— Black Myth: Wukong (@BlackMythGame) August 20, 2024
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Black Myth: Wukong is recognized as China’s first “Triple A” title, a term used for high-budget, major standalone games. The game draws inspiration from the classic 16th-century Chinese novel Journey to the West, allowing players to embody a character akin to the Monkey King, Sun Wukong. As a classic role-playing game, players must gather magical powers and weapons while controlling the “Destined One.” Li noted, “The basic combat feels fantastic, and there are no issues there,” praising the game’s story rooted in Chinese mythology.
Cultural Pride and Global Impact
Yuanyuan, a gaming shop owner, expressed her pride in the game’s success, stating, “It showcases our myths and stories to a global audience. As a Chinese person, I feel very proud.” By Tuesday afternoon, Black Myth: Wukong had attracted over 1.4 million players on Steam, ranking as the fourth-highest concurrent player count for a game, surpassing popular titles like Elden Ring and Cyberpunk 2077. The game has also received positive reviews from Western gaming media, with an average rating of 82 out of 100 on Metacritic.
Development Challenges and Controversies
The anticipation for Black Myth: Wukong has been building since 2020, when its first trailer garnered 10 million views within 24 hours on the Chinese video platform Bilibili. Violet Zhang, a 21-year-old university student, remarked at a launch event in Shanghai, “It feels like it’s been a long wait, but it’s exciting to finally reach this day.”
Developed by Game Science, the game has been in the works since 2018. However, the development process has faced controversy, including reports of a “history of sexism” within the studio. This led to backlash from players who defended the game and rejected claims of imposing “woke” Western ideals onto a Chinese context. Yuanyuan expressed hope that audiences would be more accepting of the game and its imperfections, allowing for future improvements.
Focus on the Gaming Experience
Li stated he was “not really interested” in the surrounding controversies, emphasizing that they were irrelevant to his gaming experience. Meanwhile, Wu Tianyu, a 29-year-old tech worker in Shanghai, expressed his emotional connection to the game, saying, “I hope our domestic video games continue to achieve great success in the future.”
