Since 'Black Myth: Wukong' dominated the trending topics, it has been setting new records almost every day.

Recently, it was reported that 15 million copies have been sold across all platforms. Calculating based on the standard edition price of 268 yuan, this translates to a revenue of 4 billion yuan. That's 100,000 heavenly soldiers, each having to fight 150 monkeys.

Before its release, the industry estimated sales to be between 3 to 5 million copies. However, 'Black Myth: Wukong' lived up to expectations, facing extreme backlash and accusations of plagiarism, yet still managed to create new history for the Chinese gaming industry with its massive success.

For comparison, 'Diablo III' sold 6.3 million copies in its first week of release in 2012; 'Elden Ring', released in 2022, has sold 25 million copies to date, a remarkable success in recent years; and 'Baldur's Gate 3', released in 2023, took almost a year to surpass 10 million sales.

As the first domestic 3A game, 'Black Myth: Wukong' has undoubtedly succeeded in capturing the hearts of the nation and sparking a national craze.

There are still many regrets along the journey, and 'Black Myth: Wukong' is not perfect. The road to domestic 3A games remains difficult, and change cannot be achieved overnight.

But as producer Feng Ji said, 'Embarking on the journey to obtain the sutras is more important than reaching the Western Paradise.'

01

Value Beyond Profit

The phenomenal popularity of 'Black Myth: Wukong' has triggered a true sense of revelry, akin to a long-awaited rain after a drought.

Currently, there are at least 17 IP collaborations for 'Black Myth: Wukong' across various industries, including consumer electronics (graphics cards, controllers, TVs, laptops), transportation, apparel, and new tea drinks. The PlayStation 5 has been flying off shelves, with some stores selling dozens in a single day. It has even driven up the prices of unrelated stocks in the A-share market.

What lies behind this national craze? In a word, pride and familiarity.

As one comment circulating on social media puts it, 'I've ridden warhorses in the Sinai Desert, been a pirate in the European seas, fought in wars in America, and been a silent assassin in Egypt. But I still prefer to return home and be the Great Sage Equal to Heaven once more.'

Many of the foreign 3A games mentioned above, such as 'Battlefield', 'Assassin's Creed', and 'Call of Duty', were once sought after by domestic players who scoured the internet for cracked versions, sometimes needing to apply Chinese language patches and enduring occasional crashes. But now, listening to the theme song of 'Journey to the West', players can finally feel proud that China has its own 3A game, prompting foreign players to complain about how to change the default language to English. Reports even mention foreign netizens studying the original 'Journey to the West' to understand the storyline better.

A great 3A game pursues excellence in both storyline and graphics, with intricate technical implementations. It represents the high standard of the gaming industry and showcases a country's cultural soft power and technological strength.

'Black Myth: Wukong' has exceeded expectations in telling Chinese stories and spreading Chinese culture.

'Journey to the West' is a household name in China, with Sun Wukong as the hero in every Chinese heart. However, globally, when people think of 'Wukong', they are more likely to think of 'Dragon Ball', which was inspired by 'Journey to the West'. The animated series of 'Dragon Ball' has been broadcast in over 60 countries and regions, generating a cumulative revenue of 7 billion yuan over its 40-year run.

In comparison, China's own export of cultural elements from 'Journey to the West' and other works is far from sufficient, ceding valuable cultural treasures to others.

With its compelling storyline, real-life Chinese architecture, and philosophical underpinnings rooted in Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism, 'Black Myth: Wukong' embodies a strong desire for cultural export. From official media to individual bloggers, everyone has become a driving force behind its viral success.

In the context of China's gaming industry, where online games and microtransactions dominate, the massive success of such a high-quality single-player game is itself an inspiring tale.

02

Word-of-Mouth vs. Golden Cups and Silver Cups?

'Many lead game designers are not enthusiastic about playing their own games,' complained Feng Ji in an article, criticizing the gaming industry's focus on keeping players addicted and spending more money.

Over the years, China's gaming industry has grown into the world's largest market, accounting for nearly a third of global revenue and boasting the world's highest-earning game products. However, before 'Black Myth: Wukong,' there were no traces of domestic 3A masterpieces that could compete with overseas counterparts in terms of quality. The fundamental reason is that developing 3A games is labor-intensive and costly, with no guarantee of profitability.

'Grand Theft Auto V,' a universally recognized 3A masterpiece, launched in 2013 with a 'development + marketing' cost of approximately $270 million. Fortunately, its returns have been impressive, selling over 200 million copies and generating over $8.5 billion in sales to date.

However, despite high expectations, many 3A games have failed to meet them, and even when they succeed, microtransaction-based mobile games often prove more lucrative.

Players can experience all of 'Black Myth: Wukong' for 268 yuan, while future expansions require continued investment by Game Science in developing DLCs. The same amount in 'Honor of Kings' can only buy a couple of special effects skins, and 648 yuan in 'Genshin Impact' may not even guarantee the desired character.

In 2023, 'Honor of Kings' generated global revenue of 10.5 billion yuan, while 'PUBG Mobile' and 'Genshin Impact' brought in 8.1 billion yuan and 6.726 billion yuan, respectively.

'Elden Ring,' a highly successful game released in 2022, sold 25 million copies in two years, generating approximately 7.45 billion yuan in revenue. The gap in revenue-generating potential is evident.

According to the Game Publishers Association of China, in the first half of 2024, the console gaming market accounted for just 0.54% of the domestic gaming market's actual sales revenue of 797 million yuan, with mobile games generating 134 times more revenue. The console market remains a blue ocean waiting to be explored.

One thing is certain: China's single-player gaming market has vast potential. What's uncertain is who will take the lead in this countertrend.

For gaming giants like Tencent and NetEase, decisions are based on meticulous assessments of investment costs and market benefits, with a focus on economic gains over word-of-mouth. From this perspective, Game Science is taking an unconventional path.

The emergence of 'Black Myth: Wukong' mirrors the game's theme of rebellion against the old order, staging a grand rehearsal in reality.

While Tencent hasn't directly entered the fray, its vision is sharp. In March 2021, Tencent acquired a 5% stake in Game Science, promising 'no interference in operational decisions, no usurpation of project leadership, and no pursuit of publishing and operational rights.' This autonomy has allowed Game Science to create a comfortable development environment and finally address the regrets of 'Dou Shen Zhan' (a previous game by Game Science). Despite substantial preparation time and resource investment, 'Dou Shen Zhan' initially garnered praise for its quality but eventually succumbed to market pressures due to its lack of profitability.

Now, with the overwhelming popularity of 'Black Myth: Wukong,' there is an endless flow of traffic and continuous purchasing power. The market expects Game Science, these 'dreamers,' to bring even higher-quality masterpieces.

03

What Else is Needed to Obtain the True Sutras?

It's a chicken-and-egg dilemma: Does the market environment shape products, or do exceptional products influence industry directions?

The unprecedented popularity of 'Black Myth: Wukong' seems to have put an end to this question. As long as the game's quality is solid, there's no need to worry about a lack of buyers; the Chinese market's potential is immense.

In times of industry 'hunger,' a phenomenal game can stimulate market growth and pave the way for subsequent 3A games by changing the industrial ecosystem.

First, user habits must be cultivated. Domestic consumers have long been accustomed to free content, evident in the membership sizes of video streaming and music apps. The same applies to the domestic single-player gaming market, where cracked versions and modifiers have been rampant, with many popular gaming websites and forums offering such services.

Since then, domestic players have crossed the threshold of paying for single-player games, but the domestic single-player gaming scene is still in a 'low-spending' era. According to a report by 'Guoyou Xiaoliang' (a community for tracking domestic game sales), 99.24% of the 525 buy-to-play domestic games with over 10 Steam user reviews cost less than 100 yuan.

In 2023, China's gaming market had 668 million users, while Steam had 32 million Chinese players, leaving ample room for growth. The emergence of 'Black Myth: Wukong' is expected to raise both the ceiling for spending levels and willingness to pay in the single-player market.

Second, confidence among developers must be bolstered. In 2023, the domestic console gaming market generated 2.893 billion yuan in revenue, hardly inspiring much interest or confidence in the industry. As 36Kr quoted an industry insider, the industry needs games like 'Black Myth: Wukong' to lead the way. “If they don't try, we'll keep rehashing ideas, like how current otaku games are just rehashes of 'Genshin Impact.'”

However, 'Black Myth: Wukong' has shattered the myth of 'quality without sales.' Goldman Sachs' projected 20 million sales and 5 billion yuan in revenue now seem conservative. It has boosted the morale of a struggling industry and marked a significant turning point for the Chinese gaming industry.

Lastly, a mature industrial system must be established. Where there's market demand, there's talent. In the past, most domestic talent joined the mobile gaming camp due to its lucrative profits and high salaries.

Single-player games, however, demand excellence in narrative integrity, character development, level complexity, and combat mechanics, attracting a wider range of talents but struggling to retain them due to lower profit margins.

There's also the issue of 'infrastructure' like computer hardware. As the hardware community puts it, graphics cards weren't solely created for gaming, but gaming has always been a major driving force behind their development.

'Black Myth: Wukong' has specific hardware requirements. According to Steam's official recommendations, at least an NVIDIA RTX 2060 is needed for basic gameplay, naturally excluding lightweight laptops.

The lack of domestic AAA games has left China without a fertile ground for the latest graphics technologies, and hardware manufacturers lack the incentive and environment to develop consumer-grade gaming graphics cards.

'Black Myth: Wukong' has the potential to change this dynamic, as demand and supply feed off each other.

04

Conclusion

Enthusiasts are reveling, while the uninformed wonder why a game can spark a national craze.

Creating highly profitable works in the toughest fields is akin to confronting destiny in real life. A game IP transcending industrial boundaries and connecting with literature, film, animation, fashion, tourism, and more brings immense commercial vitality and imagination, inspiring people even more.

'Throughout history, there have been countless geniuses and prodigies, but only a handful have truly achieved immortality.' This line from the game's climax echoes the journey of domestic 3A games. For Game Science, the best possible ending has been achieved.

Yet, many more are still facing trials and tribulations on their paths to confront their destinies. At this moment, there's a soulful resonance transcending dimensions between game and reality.