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Inspired by the 16th-century novel A Journey to the West, Black Myth: Wukong challenged the dominance of Western mythology storytelling in role-playing games.
Western mythology dominated the gaming industry for years with Greek heroes and medieval tales until Chinese studio Game Science released Black Myth: Wukong, a game inspired by a classic Chinese novel that broke records overnight.
To understand the game we have to take a look at one of the great Chinese novels, A Journey to the West, written by Wu Cheng’en in the 16th-century during the Ming Dynasty. This story revolves around Sun Wukong, the Monkey King. He is an immortal monkey who was born from stone and has abilities to acquire superhuman strengths and transformative powers through Taoist practices.
Sun Wukong eventually becomes powerful enough to challenge Heaven, waging war against the highest forces in his desire for personal freedom from a low level position and Heaven’s demand for total subservience. After defeating divine generals his ego grew, but his rebellion ended with Buddha banishing him beneath a mountain for 500 years. He is later released under the condition that he serves as the protector of monk Tang Sanzang who is traveling west to find old Buddhist scriptures.
Throughout his journey, Wukong faces 81 trials which shifts his character from a troublemaker to a true guardian. In the end of Journey to the West, Wukong achieves enlightenment once he has mastered himself and is given the title “Victorious Fighting Buddha” in recognition of his discipline.
Four centuries later, Game Science would reveal Black Myth: Wukong in 2020, dropping a trailer that teased the game to audiences all around the world. The industry grew antsy to play Black Myth: Wukong as it didn’t officially launch until four years later on August 20, 2024. The game peaked with over 2.4 million players on the day of its release on gaming destination, Steam, making it one of the platform’s most played games ever.
The same year Black Myth: Wukong won Best Action Game and the Player’s Voice award at the 2024 Game Awards and also won Ultimate Game of the Year at the Golden Joystick Awards. Not only did Black Myth: Wukong solidify itself as a significant console title, it also proved that a story that comes from Chinese literature could stand at the same level as those from Western mythology.
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