How Chinese video game Black Myth: Wukong became a global hit

By Kai Feng and Jojo Zhou, ABC

A new Chinese video game has become one of the country's most successful releases of all time, selling 10 million copies worldwide within three days and boosting its fast-growing gaming industry.

Black Myth: Wukong, a blockbuster action role-playing game, was produced by developer Game Science and cost a reported $75 million over its six-year development.

Set against the backdrop of the classic Chinese myth of Wukong - also known as the Monkey King - reviewers say the title offers thrilling gameplay and stunning visuals of Chinese landscapes.

Considered the country's first AAA video game, it has topped the sales charts on Steam, the most popular online game store, since 20 August.

AAA games are recognised globally as major, high-budget and standalone productions.

But the game is not without controversy - with its developer and publisher facing criticism for its work environment and culture of censorship.

The game has also sparked a new wave of nationalism on the internet in China, with social media platforms WeChat and Weibo abuzz with discussion about the release.

Its popularity aligns with Beijing's efforts to enhance its soft power and cultural output, aiming to balance the influence of foreign cultural products domestically.

Chinese state media has thrown its support behind the release, saying it will encourage Western players to learn about the country's culture.

"Chinese players in the past have gone through this process of cross-cultural understanding, now it is the turn of overseas players to learn ... and understand Chinese traditional culture," China Central Television (CCTV) wrote.

The official Xinhua news agency said the game's release marked a "bold foray" by Chinese developers into a market "long dominated" by Western titles.

"With this breakthrough, the default language of a triple-A game is no longer English, but Chinese," it wrote.

Last week, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning told media the popularity of the game "speaks to the appeal of Chinese culture".

And Charles Young, editor-in-chief of video game website IGN China, was equally effusive in his praise for the title.

"We often boast about the thousands of years of splendour in Chinese culture, but this can sometimes come across as a bit of self-promotion," he told the ABC.

He said he thought Black Myth: Wukong had "already achieved" great success in promoting Chinese culture overseas.

What is the game about?

Black Myth: Wukong reimagines the classic Chinese novel Journey to the West.

The game centres on Sun Wukong, a monkey born from a stone who acquires supernatural powers through Taoist practices.

Some Australians may recognise the character of Wukong from the popular 1978 Japanese television series Monkey, or through Goku from Dragon Ball Z, a character inspired by the Monkey King.

Wukong is known for his battles with mythological creatures.

And the story delves into his past and destiny, blending Chinese mythology with a dark fantasy aesthetic.

"It is so good. The graphics are amazing, the gameplay is awesome. It's so much action," said gamer Krysttl, a content creator from Perth. "It's a boss rush, it's so much fun."

Hugh Davies from the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) told the ABC the game had a huge potential cultural impact, noting the popularity of the story of the Monkey King in cinema, television, and other games like League of Legends and Dota 2.

"This game has a real capacity to bring elements of Chinese history and culture to a global stage," he said.

A booming industry in China

China's video game industry has undergone a dramatic transformation over the past few decades, evolving from a subculture rife with piracy to a global powerhouse.

As recently as 20 years ago, most Chinese gamers played unauthorised pirated copies of games, mainly on PC.

"In the 1980s, 1990s, and even into the 2000s, the vast majority of gaming experiences were through cheaply produced copies of Western games," Dr Davies explained.

"However, this also democratised access to gaming, allowing many people to experience games like Mario Brothers or Pokemon who otherwise wouldn't have had the chance."

By the early 2000s, major digital entertainment firms began outsourcing production to China, attracted by the country's cheap labour.

Around the same time, Chinese tech giants like Tencent and NetEase began developing their own games, leading to a boom in the local gaming industry.

The legacy is still felt today. Black Myth: Wukong developer Game Science is itself a Tencent-backed startup.

In 2000, Beijing introduced a series of anti-gaming policies, including banning video game consoles - which forced developers to focus on PC and mobile games.

"This shift allowed Chinese developers to thrive," said Dr Davies.

According to the 2023 China Game Industry Report, the country has approximately 668 million video game players, with overseas sales of Chinese-developed games reaching $24.1 billion last year.

Chinese citizens say they are proud of Black Myth: Wukong, which has sparked a wave of digital nationalism.

The domestic industry has now transformed from one of "imitation" to one of "innovation", according to a popular phrase among Chinese social media users.

Video game journalist Charles Young is optimistic about the future of the industry.

"If the capital market continues to invest, we can expect to see more high-quality Chinese single-console game productions that achieve strong sales both locally and internationally," Mr Young said.

Why is the game controversial?

While the game quickly became a major hit, it hasn't been without controversy.

In November, IGN reported allegations of repeated sexist and inappropriate behaviour from Game Science employees.

Team members also disclosed a toxic work culture endured during the game's lengthy development process.

Reviewers and streamers also reported receiving a document from co-publisher Hero Games warning them to avoid topics including "feminist propaganda", "COVID-19" and "politics" in their coverage of the game and during streaming.

Several content creators said the publisher wanted them to censor their reviews and avoid discussion of topics seen as controversial in China.

But local gamers rallied to the publishers' defence.

"Feminists have always tried to achieve their anti-China goals by smearing and suppressing traditional Chinese culture, but I believe they will definitely fail," read a prominent post on Weibo that defended the game.

And this isn't the first time the Chinese video game industry has dealt with controversy.

Fans were also disappointed with the alleged whitewashing of characters in popular game Genshin Impact.

Mr Young said that title was the first Chinese game to gain global popularity, in spite of the race issue.

And he noted the success of Black Myth: Wukong had already gone "far beyond" that game.

"Genshin Impact - as well as some other games that have gained a lot of retail volume internationally - are just online games," he said.

"The Black Myth, as we see it today, is a completely plot-driven, single-player action role-playing game.

"The fact that such a work can make a name for itself in the industry and in the international arena proves that the Chinese game industry can be recognised internationally, and I think that's very significant," he said.

Game could lead to further blockbuster releases

Despite the controversy, the release has made a huge splash worldwide and can be seen as an active tool of Chinese soft power.

"Back in the day, gaming was like a subculture, but now it's definitely a very strong and booming industry," Dr Davies said.

State broadcaster CCTV quoted Beijing-based game development veteran Zhang Xiaodie, who observed a "rising trend" of integrating traditional Chinese themes in games.

"Games themed around the Three Kingdoms and the Spring and Autumn Period [of Chinese history] have performed well in Japan, South Korea, South-East Asia, as well as Hong Kong and Taiwan region."

Analysts from Goldman Sachs wrote that they expect more Chinese AAA games to enter the global market in the future.

"We see signs that the government is recognising the industry's potential value for exports and culture," they wrote.

China's state-backed industry analysts also agreed with the rosy outlook.

"In recent years, Chinese games have gained rising potency abroad," said Sun Jiashan, associate researcher at China's Central Cultural and Tourism Management Cadre Institute.

"Chinese culture is going abroad and making matrix breakthroughs," Jiashan said.

- This story was originally published by the ABC.