[Video] Is Black Myth: Wukong China’s most successful video game?
Developed by Game Science and backed by Tencent, Chinese video game Black Myth: Wukong achieved a series of feats: ten million copies of the game sold in 83 hours; at its peak, over three million concurrent players; and second place on Steam’s “all-time peak” list. What do gamers love about this game? ThinkChina’s Yi Jina finds out.
The release of Black Myth: Wukong, China’s first AAA (high-cost, high-volume, high-quality) video game, represents a groundbreaking debut for Chinese developers in this market long dominated by Japanese and Western firms.
The action role-playing game leverages Nvidia’s full ray tracing technology to deliver lifelike graphics with cinematic quality and utilises Unreal Engine 5’s real-world scanning to recreate 36 historical landmarks in China, 27 of which are in Shanxi province. Black Myth: Wukong’s immersive visuals and intricate details earned it the Best Visuals award at Gamescom 2023 in Cologne, one of the gaming industry’s most prestigious events.
Beyond its visual achievements, the game’s faithful yet innovative adaptation of the classic Chinese novel Journey to the West has generated much interest in Chinese culture. This is reflected in a boost in tourism, active social media discussions and more translated versions of the novel. The game’s popularity has also driven a spending spree in China: PlayStations are sold out, high-end computers are in high demand and even eSports hotels are seeing increased bookings.
Recognising the significant commercial potential of Black Myth: Wukong, brands are capitalising on the game’s protagonist, “The Destined One”, with ventures like limited-edition collectible figures and the co-branded “Black Myth: Tengyun Americano” from Luckin Coffee. According to JD.com, China’s e-commerce platform, sales of the game’s co-branded merchandise surpassed 15 million RMB from 8pm on 19 August to midnight on 20 August.
