The gaming world has recently witnessed an extraordinary phenomenon: Black Myth: Wukong has shattered all player records on Steam, surpassing giants like Counter-Strike and Palworld and selling over 10 million copies across all platforms. In just a few days, it has become one of the most talked about titles of the summer, but for controversial reasons that transcend its beauty and gameplay. Black Myth: Wukong is a reimagining of the classic Chinese novel “Journey to the West”, told through a spectacular combination of cinematics and gameplay.
The player takes control of the “Chosen One”, tasked with finding the relics that will awaken the Monkey King from his centuries-old slumber. The gameplay features soulslike elements, with checkpoints, enemy respawns and a combat system based on combos of light and heavy attacks, dodges and magic. Despite some technical uncertainties, the game environments are beautiful and invite the player to stop and admire the view. Unfortunately, after the exciting start, the game struggles to maintain the same level of intensity, mainly due to combat that, while not as frustrating as in other soulslikes, is sometimes repetitive. The narration and the bestiary full of fairy-tale descriptions partially compensate for this lack, offering a fascinating immersion in the Chinese mythological world.
Unfortunately, the launch of Black Myth: Wukong has been met with controversy. The game was first released to Western audiences in 2020, but in November last year, an investigation into Game Science, the Chinese studio behind Wukong, was published, highlighting sexist comments made by the developers on Chinese social media. When asked about these comments, Game Science responded with a “no comment.” Additionally, shortly before the game’s launch, screenshots emerged of a Game Science document detailing what influencers were allowed to talk about in sponsored content. The prohibited topics included Covid-19, politics, the Chinese games industry, “feminist propaganda,” and “other content that incites negative discourse.” The unusual move has turned Wukong into a case study, fueling heated debate within the gaming community.
A small but vocal fringe of gamers has applauded Game Science’s refusal to address its employees’ sexist comments, seeing the game’s success as revenge against what they call the “woke” video game industry and its efforts to include minority views. This faction has targeted reviewers who fail to give the game glowing praise or mention the developers’ history. Some reviewers have even had their names removed from articles for their own safety, and the IGN journalist who wrote the first Game Science story has been the target of harassment and false quotes.