- Black Myth: Wukong is the biggest single player game launched on PC.
- The game’s success surprised many, but it is actually a great thing for Chinese gaming.
- Now, more and more Chinese developers will take this success as a motivation to work on ambitious projects.
It has been some time since Black Myth: Wukong was released, but the hype is still pretty high. The 24-hour peak is still above 600K, which is pretty surprising for this game, given that its developer has never worked on a title like this before.
I am genuinely surprised by how well this game has performed. Being one of the gamers anticipating this title, I didn’t expect to reach almost 2.5 Million concurrent players on Steam. That is just straight-up a flex Game Science will never let go of, and it is going to do wonders for the Chinese developers.
Why it matters: The success of Black Myth: Wukong has motivated many Chinese developers, and it will bring out much more talent from the country now.
Black Myth: Wukong’s Unrivaled Success
Having played this game for over 50 hours, exploring almost every single place and fighting every boss, I can confirm that it deserves all the hype and praise. I am a huge fan of the Soulsborne genre, so given that Black Myth: Wukong has taken some inspiration from the genre, I was hyped.
While it is not exactly Soulslike, it is definitely inspired by this genre. Even though I was so excited about this game, not even in my wildest dreams would it have achieved such glory. However, after playing the game, it all makes sense now. I am still surprised, but not as much as I was before.
It is now the most-played single-player game on PC, so it will influence many other games. Due to its success, many other Chinese games will also be on gamers’ radars. So, it’s about time when we see the rise of gaming in China. The Chinese era is coming; I can sense it.
Rise, Chinese Developers
The director of Phantom Blade Zero previously predicted that Black Myth: Wukong would be a massive hit. He said that if it becomes successful, it will greatly help the Chinese developers. I can understand that now very well.
Phantom Blade Zero is also being developed by a Chinese developer. I clearly remember how everyone was saying it was going to be a mobile game, but the developer shut everyone by showing the actual gameplay. However, after Wukong this game is getting even more attention.
Did you ever hear about Chinese games before Black Myth: Wukong? You might have heard about Genshin Impact as it is pretty famous. However, that’s a live service and is under miHoYo. Besides that, you might not have heard about a popular game from Chinese developers.
While there are a couple more, none comes close to this game inspired by Journey to the West. Thanks to the success of Black Myth Wukong, more and more gamers will be looking out for upcoming AAA Chinese games; not only that, but many other developers will be putting their minds together to make something unique.
The Chinese fandom has supported their local game a lot, and they are likely to do so again. So, I don’t think the developers would have a shortage of motivation to make another great game.
Western AAA Dominance Is In Danger
Given how well this Chinese AAA game has performed, many will invest in Chinese gaming now. Two of the biggest Chinese publishers, Tencent and NetEase, have a lot of influence in the gaming industry.
Both publishers have built a strong presence in the US and Canada. Many Chinese developers previously worked for Western studios, but after this unprecedented success, they are focusing on their own projects, which is how it should have been from the start.
China has a lot of untapped potential and it is likely to burst out now. Microsoft and Sony are also actively investing in this area, so we are likely to see much more from China. Games like Phantom Blade Zero, Where Winds Meet, Wuchang: Fallen Feathers, and Dynasty Warriors: Origins are already on people’s radar.
So, the Western dominance in the AAA game market might not stay for that long anymore. While the West is focusing more on how to make the modern audience happy, Korean, Chinese, and many Japanese developers are focusing on the right audience, which can cause a revolution.
I think things are going to change in the gaming industry, and I can only hope for good things to happen.
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[News Editor]
Obaid is pursuing a Law degree, while working as a content writer. He has worked as a gaming writer for over a year because of his passion for the medium and reporting the latest updates in the industry. Having played hundreds of games, Obaid finds himself coming back to Elden Ring, Cyberpunk 2077, and Red Dead Redemption 2, with these games being among his favorites. He has also been mentioned on highly regarded websites, such as Wccftech, Metro UK, PS Lifestyle, GamePressure, VGC, and Gamespot.