Why is Black Myth: Wukong So Successful?

Game Science’s Black Myth: Wukong is now available for PS5 and PC, not that it’s been easy to ignore. It peaked at 2,223,179 concurrent players on Steam in less than 24 hours of its launch, ranking second on the all-time charts and beating out titles like Palworld, Elden Ring, Cyberpunk 2077, and more. The initial sales have reportedly also been extraordinary – reports revealed that it sold over three million copies on Steam alone.

Combined with sales from Tencent’s WeGame platform, the Epic Games Store, and PS5, it sold over 4.5 million copies in its first day. Of course, it’s also scored quite well in Steam user reviews, with 96 percent of the 115,659 (and rising) available rated positive, resulting in an “Overwhelmingly Positive” score. Once again, this is all within the first 24 hours – there’s no telling just how successful Black Myth: Wukong could be in a month or even the first quarter.

It’s all the more impressive since Game Science started in 2014 with only seven employees. Though it released two mobile games, development on Wukong began in 2017 – it would be roughly three years since the first trailer, which was originally meant as a recruiting tool. While its gorgeous visuals attracted tons of attention (and skepticism over whether it was real – such is the level of fidelity), why is Black Myth: Wukong such a success? How has it shattered records in such a quick fashion?

The answer feels so simple, and yet, there are multiple layers. For starters, this is a single-player game without any microtransactions. It’s not that Game Science won’t add optional cosmetics or even DLC post-launch, but from the very start, the messaging has been clear: Buy the game, get a complete experience. Simple and effective, yet something that’s proven important to millions of players.

Another factor is the overall vision. From the outset, Black Myth: Wukong was marketed as an interpretation of Journey to the West, Wu Cheng’en’s novel which has served as a cornerstone for fiction. There haven’t been many titles that promised to capture Sun Wukong’s story, much less present it in such epic fashion or with such gorgeous production values. A developer stepping forward and offering an adaptation of the novel with a Ragnarok-style approach is practically guaranteed to print money. Heck, look at Dragon Ball Z, which is also based on the same and how it’s done so well over the decades.

Yet Game Science didn’t just sit back and let that do all the talking – it built an enjoyable game on top of it. Mythological hack-and-slash action RPG may not be a new concept or revolutionary genre but never underestimate how it could sell when everything is on point. To that end, the core pillars of Wukong – its combat and boss fights – were front and center from the start. While we all lost our minds at the sheer fidelity of it all, it was apparent just how sharp and responsive the action looked initially. The fact that each boss looked unique and downright incredible also didn’t hurt.

The hit responses, the dodging, the flow of animations, the sheer variety of bosses – it all immediately stood out. Of course, that’s only the tip of what Wukong has to offer. There’s also a cinematic story with epic set pieces – look no further than the opening, which has many raving – and emotional moments alike. One’s appreciation for the plot is enhanced by reading the novel, but the story is still delivered in a fashion that makes it approachable.

Then there’s the exploration, with several locations to venture to, regular enemies to fight, quests to undertake, loot to unlock, and upgrades to discover. Again, much of this is what we’ve come to expect from your average action RPG, but it’s the Transformations and Spirits where Wukong shines. It’s a concept familiar to your average player, almost akin to collecting Pokemon while staying true to the character’s story, and offers more variety for its combat system.

Combine all this, and you have an experience many would appreciate, much less enjoy. However, it’s the execution of the game’s vision which ultimately makes it more than the sum of its parts. Every aspect works harmoniously in concert to truly deliver on Journey to the West’s premise and characters. Even if there are shortcomings, from some performance complaints on PC to the lack of an in-game map, they’re tolerable when the experience is this enjoyable.

After Black Myth: Wukong’s launch, it’s interesting to reflect on 2024 and the titles that have proven to be surprisingly massive hits. Palworld also had a relatively smaller team, offering something based on a well-worn genre, but with a unique vision that so many have waited to experience. Helldivers 2 is a live service title with a multiplayer focus and microtransactions.

However, it leveraged the ongoing nature of its Galactic War to push organic conflicts that felt meaningful and had lasting consequences. Arrowhead Game Studios didn’t have a massive team initially either, yet after many years in development, it’s delivered an experience that stands out (even if other issues have triggered backlash from its player base).

Both titles and now Black Myth: Wukong, are a stark contrast from what some triple-A publishers think players want. The biggest culprits are Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League and Skull and Bones, which present egregious monetization and live service experiences on top of gameplay and story-telling that just isn’t compelling enough (that too for $70 upfront).

Sure, they’re focusing on recurring revenue and monthly active players, which is important for shareholders and quarterly financial reports. However, some people want an enjoyable experience rather than feeling like a statistic. The fact that the target audiences for both games remain a mystery and they’re subject to extensive discounts just months after release is also damning.

It’s easy to point out that Black Myth: Wukong is successful because of Steam’s Chinese audience. The report notes how most of its Steam user reviews are in Chinese compared to other languages. The Steam Global Traffic Map also showcases a significant amount of bandwidth from Asia in recent days, far surpassing that of Europe and North America around the game’s launch.

However, this goes back to why it’s been so intriguing for so many people, namely the Journey to the West connection and how incredible it looks and plays. The fact that it’s feeding into the excitement around games with triple-A production values being developed globally is also exciting for many.

Even with all that in mind, success in the games industry doesn’t solely hinge on developing a title with extensive amounts of content, enjoyable gameplay, gorgeous graphics, and excellent storytelling. It’s about standing out and delivering experiences that are unlike anything we’ve seen till now. Black Myth: Wukong excels in that respect, but it’s a testament to the years of development time spent perfecting and agonizing over every detail to deliver on its vision.

The fact it turned out well and provided extensive dividends is worth celebrating. Where Game Science goes from here remains to be seen, but suffice it to say that there’s more than enough motivation to expand further on the Black Myth universe with other projects.