In a world full of rich Eastern Chinese mythology, the character of the power monkey Sonny Sun Kong appears again, this time in an epic adventure that draws players into a world of magic and fighting. Black Myth: Wukong is not just an ordinary video game, but a unique experience that combines Chinese martial arts and ancient mythology.
In a few days, the game Black Myth: Wukong from a Chinese developer broke records in bulk, achieving sales that exceeded the expectations of players, critics, and experts many times, and succeeded in selling 10 million copies in the first three days only on the PS5 and PC platforms so far, making it compete with major games such as God of War Ragnarok, which sold 5 million copies in 5 days, and The Last of Us Part II, which sold 4 million copies in 3 days, and even surpassing Cyberpunk 2077, which sold 13 million copies in two weeks. These record numbers confirm its position on the list of best-selling games in history.
What is the secret behind this shocking success of the Chinese game that has captured the hearts of millions, this is what we will try to find out through this article.
Overview of the game
Black Myth: Wukong is an action and adventure game developed by an independent Chinese game studio Game Science. The game is based on the famous Chinese novel "Journey to the West", and follows the adventures of the monkey Sonny San Kong on his difficult journey to achieve his dream. What distinguishes it other than that is the stunning visual beauty of its graphics, fast and exciting gameplay, and rich story details.
The game is characterized by its amazing visual aesthetics that make you feel like you are walking inside an artistic painting and its fast and exciting gameplay that keeps you glued to the screen for long hours. Does this Chinese game really deserve to be mentioned alongside legendary games such as God of War and Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice and other titles that have left their mark on the world of games?
Factors that contributed to the success of Black Myth: Wukong
There are several factors combined that may have directly contributed to the success of the game, which we can summarize in the form of brief points as follows.
1 - Graphics and attention to detail
The game used the Unreal Engine 4 development engine at the beginning of the game's development, and years later, the development team took a risk and officially announced its transition to the Unreal Engine 5 engine, but it seems that the developer has many talents within his teams that succeeded in overcoming such an obstacle, and even exploiting the engine's capabilities appropriately, and this certainly helped to pay great attention to the smallest details, from the characters' features to the movement of hair and clothing.
The game Black Myth: Wukong is an ideal model for using the latest technologies in the gaming industry, thanks to advanced technologies represented by Nanite and Lumen, as well as its support for machine learning technology with its latest versions NVIDIA DLSS 3.5, as the developers were able to achieve a new level of visual quality and realism, all of which help in immersing in this unique experience.
2 - Story, Characters, and Cultural Depth:
Black Myth: Wukong is an epic adventure and legend inspired by the classic Chinese novel "Journey to the West" and revolves around the character Sun Wukong, known as the "Monkey King", who embarks on an epic journey full of challenges and dangers in a vast fantasy world full of mythical creatures, where you must embark on a dangerous journey, which aims to uncover deep secrets and reveal the truth behind an ancient legend and collect the six relics.
The game tells the story of a Buddhist monk who travels to India with his disciples, including our hero Sun Wukong. However, Black Myth: Wukong offers a new and innovative vision for this story, as it will witness a different ending than that mentioned in the original novel, but while maintaining the spirit of the original novel.
Here Sun Wukong is the hero of the game, a magical monkey with supernatural abilities. It is considered an important legendary figure in Chinese culture and has appeared in many other works of art, but many of its elements reflect ancient Chinese society, and the story includes many deep philosophies and meanings, such as the importance of friendship, courage, and self-sacrifice.
Unique and simple gameplay
The game combines many of the well-known gameplay elements among players, but it succeeded in mixing those elements represented in traditional action games, action games, and role-playing, which was reflected in its acceptance by a wide segment of players, whether at the level of fans of fast-paced fighting games, or fans of thoughtful confrontations, where the player can use a wide range of skills and weapons.
3 - Thoughtful marketing:
The first trailer for the game was a pleasant surprise to everyone, to the point that some doubted the authenticity of the video and images and suggested that it was just a CJ show and that it was an approved policy that we are accustomed to from Chinese developers, as high-quality 3D graphics and a promising story were displayed, but the matter aroused the curiosity of players and motivated them to follow the news of the game, and we remind you that we were the first Arab website to cover the news of the first game announcement at midnight on August 20, 2020.
The six years that it took to develop Black Myth: Wukong is a testament to the developers' commitment to providing an exceptional gaming experience, as during this period a great deal of time and effort was devoted to refining every aspect of the game, from character and environment design to developing the complex combat system. As a result, the developers were able to achieve a high level of detailed quality and realism that distinguished it.
The criticisms directed against Black Myth:
Wukong, which focused particularly on diversity issues, received negative reactions in Western markets. This criticism, which came from groups such as feminists and gays, backfired in a way that no one expected, as some saw it as an attempt at negative marketing and distortion of the game rather than constructive and objective criticism.
Black Myth: Wukong is a vivid example of how popular culture can be used to build bridges between people. Through this game, China transcends its geographical borders to reach a global audience, enhancing mutual understanding between Eastern and Western cultures. Statements by Chinese officials have indicated that the success of the game reflects the growing desire to explore Chinese culture, demonstrating China’s success in using soft power to strengthen its international relations.
The success of Black Myth: Wukong cannot be separated from China’s strategic goals. On the one hand, China seeks to strengthen its video game industry and its competitiveness in the global market, while on the other hand, it uses the game as a tool to promote Chinese culture and attract tourists and investments. Thus, this game represents a mix of economic and cultural motivations, reflecting China's growing ambitions in the international arena.
The future of the Chinese developer:
The success of Black Myth: Wukong indicates a radical shift in the Chinese gaming industry, as it has proven its ability to compete globally by producing AAA-class games, and with the Chinese government's increasing support for investment in the gaming industry, we can expect to see more innovative and ambitious Chinese games shortly, and here are very high hopes for the long-awaited PlayStation 5 exclusive Phantom Blade Zero from Chinese developer S-GAME.
However, the Chinese industry faces significant challenges, such as intellectual property protection and fierce competition in the global market, and it is expected that the coming years will witness more partnerships between Chinese companies and Western companies, which will lead to the production of more quality and creative games, and expand the influence of Chinese culture worldwide.
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