Black Myth Wukong Records: The Chinese gaming industry is buzzing with excitement as “Black Myth: Wukong,” an action game rooted in Chinese mythology, has taken the world by storm. Since its launch, the game has been trending and has quickly become one of the most-played titles on various platforms. This success comes despite Beijing’s recent gaming crackdown, which many feared would cast a shadow over the industry’s global ambitions.
Black Myth: Wukong record-breaking launch
“Black Myth: Wukong” sold over 10 million copies within the first three days of its release, catapulting it to the top of global sales charts. It has also topped revenue on the Steam platform in the U.S., where the game is priced at around $60.
Dino Ying, Chairman of Hero Game, and the co-publisher of “Black Myth: Wukong,” shared his excitement about the game’s success. During an exclusive conversation with CNBC, Ying said, “The next triple-A games are likely remarkably close because ‘Black Myth: Wukong’ has shown everyone that a China-made AAA (Triple-A) game can achieve such global sales.”
Ying also hinted that several AAA games are currently in development but couldn’t share a timeline. He emphasized that future games from the company will have a global strategy from the outset and predicted that foreign AAA developers will increasingly tailor their games to appeal to Chinese players.
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Breaking records on Steam
Since its release, “Black Myth: Wukong” has continued to break records, becoming one of the most popular single-player games by peak concurrent players in Steam history. Within a few hours of going live, the game reached over 2,125,007 concurrent players on the platform.
The game’s significance extends beyond its sales. It has established itself as the most-viewed game on Chinese live-streaming platforms since its release. For the first time in Steam history, the game surpassed 37 million concurrent users.
Black Myth: Wukong Impressive sales and global impact
Game Science, the developer of “Black Myth: Wukong,” recently announced that the game has sold an impressive 10 million copies across all platforms. The physical edition of the game sold out within seconds on JD.com, with over 700,000 gamers signing up to purchase a limited set of 30,000 copies. This success signals that Chinese studios are ready to compete directly with some of the biggest Western publishers in the premium AAA space.
The game has also had a significant impact on PlayStation 5 sales in Japan. Sales of PS5 doubled after the announcement that “Black Myth: Wukong” would be available exclusively on the console. Sony has signed an exclusivity deal with the game, meaning it isn’t currently available on the Xbox Series X|S. However, the game is available to play on Windows.
On August 25, more than 37 million people logged into Steam, marking a record high as players eagerly jumped into the game. This figure surpassed the previous all-time high of 33.7 million Steam users online, with about 12.5 million active players engaging with the game—yet another record for “Black Myth: Wukong,” according to SteamDB.
The Chinese gaming market, boasting around 600 million gamers, presents a significant opportunity for developers. Historically, the country has seen few major AAA games due to high production costs and lengthy development processes. However, this landscape is rapidly changing with the success of “Black Myth: Wukong,” which has captivated over 1 million concurrent players in China—a remarkable feat in such a vast market.
Game Science: From Mobile Games to AAA Success
Game Science, once a mobile game developer, has undergone a remarkable transformation, now producing world-class AAA games. Backed by Tencent and Hero Games, the studio has quickly become a major player in the gaming industry. “Black Myth: Wukong” is a testament to this transformation, becoming a huge hit in no time.
A significant part of the game’s appeal, particularly in China, is its inspiration from the legendary Chinese novel “Journey to the West.” Written in the 16th century, this 400-year-old novel is one of the most influential works of fiction, with countless adaptations across various media, including anime like “Dragon Ball” and video games such as Ninja Theory’s cult classic “Enslaved.”
“Black Myth: Wukong” is celebrated as one of the most faithful recreations of the original work, combining its rich narrative with today’s action-heavy, Souls-like gameplay. This blend not only attracts traditional single-player enthusiasts but also provides an opportunity for Sony to draw new players to PlayStation 5, thanks to its exclusive deal with the developers.
Controversy and criticism
However, the game hasn’t been without its share of controversy. Reports have surfaced regarding alleged sexism at Game Science, alongside a controversial email asking reviewers and creators not to discuss COVID-19, the Chinese gaming industry, or feminist propaganda in exchange for free game codes.
Black Myth: Wukong record-breaking launch
Despite these challenges, “Black Myth: Wukong” has performed extraordinarily well since its launch earlier this month, surpassing previous records set by games like “Elden Ring” and “Palworld” on Steam. The game sold 10 million copies within just three days of release, making it the top-selling game on Steam’s charts and the most-played game since its launch, followed by titles like “Counter-Strike 2,” “Banana,” “Dota 2,” and “PUBG: Battlegrounds.”
As we look to the future, it remains to be seen if “Black Myth: Wukong” will surpass 40 million concurrent players. For now, it has already set itself up to be one of the most successful video games of all time. Not only has it become the most popular single-player game by peak concurrent users in Steam history, but it has also boosted sales for the Sony PS5.