Chinese triple-A video game Black Myth: Wukong proves a big hit with initial pre-orders 16 times oversubscribed

A set of 10,000 physical copies of the deluxe edition of Black Myth: Wukong that cost 1,998 yuan (US$276) each, which includes online access to the game and souvenirs, were made available on e-commerce platform JD.com where total pre-orders reached 160,000 within a few hours, making the promotional package 16 times oversubscribed.

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The much-anticipated game - to be released on August 20 for Windows and Sony's PlayStation 5 - bears the industry's informal triple-A classification, which signifies a large-budget, high-profile game produced and distributed by well-known publishers. These games often rank as blockbusters because of their extreme popularity. Game Science, however, has not disclosed the game's development cost.

Black Myth: Wukong will initially be made available for gamers on Windows personal computers and Sony's PlayStation 5. A release for Microsoft's Xbox Series X and S gaming consoles is yet to be announced. Photo: Game Science alt=Black Myth: Wukong will initially be made available for gamers on Windows personal computers and Sony's PlayStation 5. A release for Microsoft's Xbox Series X and S gaming consoles is yet to be announced. Photo: Game Science>

The strong pre-orders reflect the pent-up demand on the mainland for Black Myth: Wukong, years after Game Science first uploaded a 13-minute demo video of the game in August 2020 that quickly generated 10 million views on Chinese video-sharing site Bilibili and nearly 2 million on YouTube.

The latest demo video of Black Myth: Wukong in 2022 had 21 million views on Bilibili. The title will be available on Tencent's flagship gaming portal WeGame and rival online video gaming platform Steam.

Mainland Chinese video gamer Meng Fanjie, who pre-ordered the physical deluxe edition of Black Myth: Wukong, said he has high expectations for the new game and intends to play it on his PlayStation console.

"It is a the first real [video gaming] masterpiece of China," Meng said. "I will give my support."

Black Myth: Wukong is based on the classic Chinese novel Journey to the West. Photo: Game Science alt=Black Myth: Wukong is based on the classic Chinese novel Journey to the West. Photo: Game Science>

In Hong Kong, the physical deluxe edition of Black Myth: Wukong is priced at HK$2,151 (US$275). The standard version of the game costs HK$298, while the digital deluxe edition sells for HK$368.

The strong demand augurs well for the prospects of China's video gaming market this year. This sector generated total sales of US$44.6 billion in 2023 to rank behind that of the United States, with US$46.7 billion in revenue, according to market research firm Newzoo.

When the first demo video of Black Myth: Wukong was released in 2020, it served as a valuable recruitment notice for Game Science at a time when the studio needed fresh talent. The start-up received thousands of applications as a result, according to local Chinese media reports at the time.

This article originally appeared in the South China Morning Post (SCMP), the most authoritative voice reporting on China and Asia for more than a century. For more SCMP stories, please explore the SCMP app or visit the SCMP's Facebook and Twitter pages. Copyright © 2024 South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved.

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