When I discussed Black Myth: Wukong launch success, it reportedly sold more than 4.5 million units on day one from pre-orders alone. The peak concurrent player numbers on Steam reached 2.223 million, beating out the likes of other big releases like Palworld, Elden Ring, Cyberpunk 2077, and so on. However, that was roughly a few days ago.
Game Science would confirm on August 23rd that the title sold 10 million copies within four days (give or take a few hours to account for Beijing time). It reached a new record on Steam with 2,415,714 peak concurrent players, becoming the second most-played game of all time, and within the last 24 hours, over 2 million were playing. There are 399,057 user reviews (and rising) on Steam, with 96 percent positive for an “Overwhelmingly Positive” rating. All of this in seven days as of this time.
The developer also confirmed a cumulative three million peak concurrent players on all platforms. Remember that the Xbox Series X/S version hasn’t even been released. Without the delay, Black Myth: Wukong’s success may have gone even further beyond.
While it’s interesting to discuss why the game is doing so well and why so many people love it, I think it’s also worth examining the developer’s thought processes leading up to launch. How it approached the concept, the response to the sudden explosion of fame, and, most importantly, fulfilling every promise. It all started with…
The Original Vision
From the outset, it was clear that Game Science wanted the tenets of the story to affect the gameplay, from the Transformations to Wukong’s extendable staff.
However, for a developer that started with only seven people and released reasonably successful mobile titles since its establishment, this was an opportunity to fulfil their own destiny: Developing a triple-A console game that did justice to the genre. Speaking to IGN China back in September 2020 after the first trailer for Wukong debuted, art director Yang Qi told game producer Feng Ji, “It’s time to do what we wanted to do from the beginning.”
Game development is a process fraught with changes, unforeseen obstacles, cut content, and hundreds of other things that can go wrong. To see Game Science stick to its original vision throughout all those years – even after starting on such a small scale – is already incredible.
Managing Expectations
It’s funny to look back on that initial reveal trailer because, from the outset, it was to be a recruiting tool. However, it quickly blew up in views, leading to an influx of interest and equal measures of wonder and skepticism at the sheer fidelity on display. Perhaps the most notable thing about this is Game Science’s response.
Returning to IGN China’s report in 2020 once more, producer Feng Ji appreciated the response but felt that the game was perhaps “overhyped” and that the team shouldn’t let it get to their heads. Nevertheless, he believed the overwhelming popularity of the trailer meant that the team had to make the final product even better.
“We might go quiet for a long time because right now we need to settle down and finish the project. It is a complete surprise that the trailer got so popular, but it’s also a challenge for our next reveal. If we can’t make something even better than this trailer, we won’t show it to the rest of the world,” he said.
A little harsh, perhaps, but it makes sense in retrospect – as revealed to PC Gamer, Game Science wasn’t “very satisfied” with Blackwind Mountain, one of its first completed levels, at the time. Even when speaking to Eurogamer several weeks before launch, a spokesperson said that the team was still working to adjust the story cadence of the first chapter since not much was going on. While there are still some kinks and rough edges to work out in the game, this approach through the years reflects the team’s down-to-earth nature and how it wanted to continue improving the experience.
Not a Soulslike
There are plenty of Soulslike elements to Black Myth: Wukong, whether it’s the stamina bar, reliance on dodging, or the locations the player can respawn at. However, the development team clarified to Eurogamer that this isn’t a Soulslike but an action RPG. One that emphasized player freedom, allowing them to “create their own combos and to find their own style.”
Though the developer enjoyed Elden Ring, there was a general love for action RPGs. “We believe that the RPG market is very inclusive, and it’s huge. And it can accommodate more games. We believe this kind of competition is healthy, and we are confident with this competition,” said a spokesperson for the company. The other benefit of this approach is making the game feel more like a character-driven action title, keeping the focus on the protagonist and his journey.
Not an Open World Title
Another aspect that garnered attention – including some mixed impressions – was the linear approach. Speaking to Eurogamer, a spokesperson clarified that Wukong isn’t an open-world game but a “linear game propelled by the storyline.” While early levels were relatively more straightforward, further chapters offered much bigger environments.
It wouldn’t be until the game launched that we witnessed how laden with secrets and optional bosses it is. That’s not even something the developer touted before launch, yet it delivered all the same. Regardless of whether it could have achieved that with an open-world format, the fact that Game Science could offer such a high-quality experience by keeping it linear speaks volumes.
Telling a Complete Story
Despite interest in expanding on the Black Myth universe with two more titles, Game Science was adamant about Wukong telling a complete story. As that spokesperson told Eurogamer last June, “In this whole game, we are intentional to tell a complete story not only about the battles but also about the characters. We pour our heart into building characters with life and blood, and after playing the game, we wanted players to feel not how strong they are, but how related they are to the main character’s experience.”
When speaking to PC Gamer recently, a studio representative said. “Everybody has their own journey, and in Black Myth: Wukong we’re trying to complete the stories of a lot of the main characters.” That approach extended to the enemies, which it wanted to present as “very dimensional characters” and “not just another enemy you have to beat.”
Various other things contributed to its graphics, like the graphics and sheer brilliance of the art direction and the lack of microtransactions at launch (and if they did happen post-launch, they would be non-pay-to-win). One could look at it as another classic example of single-player-focused games ruling over all, but I believe it’s proof, yet again, of a coherent vision winning out against all odds. Whether you like the game, love it, or appreciate what it’s doing without really being able to get into it, there’s no denying that Black Myth: Wukong delivers on its promises and then some.
Note: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of, and should not be attributed to, GamingBolt as an organization.
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