A Chinese Studio’s Monkey-King Game Reached a Global Launch

1. Studio Background

Game Science was founded by former developers from Tencent who sought creative independence. In February 2018, the studio decided to build a single-player action role-playing game. The team relocated from Shenzhen to Hangzhou later that year. They chose to adapt the classical Chinese novel Journey to the West. The title Black Myth reflected dark themes explored through regional mythology.

The team relocated to Hangzhou to build it.

2. Pre-Alpha Trailer

The studio unveiled a pre-alpha gameplay trailer on August 20, 2020. Built on Unreal Engine 4, the video showcased exploration and combat in Black Wind Mountain. Developers published the footage on social media to attract prospective employees. The video exceeded expectations by gathering millions of views within a single day. Over 10,000 applicants applied for open positions following the viral release.

A viral trailer attracted thousands of applicants.

3. Development Scale

Development spanned six years with an estimated budget of 70 million dollars. Game Science later migrated the project to Unreal Engine 5 to achieve higher graphical fidelity. The studio expanded from an initial core group to 140 team members by completion. Six external animation studios contributed cinematic cutscenes. Traditional art styles influenced character portraits and in-game silk murals.

The development team expanded to 140 members.

4. PC and PlayStation Launch

Black Myth: Wukong released worldwide for Windows and PlayStation 5 on August 20, 2024. The release followed several physical and digital collector editions. The launch traffic caused download bandwidth usage on Steam to reach record levels. The title became the most-wishlisted game on Steam prior to release. Game Science delayed the Xbox Series X/S version to optimize performance.

The title launched on PC and PlayStation.

5. Concurrent Player Record

On launch day, the action game surpassed 2.2 million concurrent players on Steam. This milestone established it as the highest single-player game by concurrent users. Player counts peaked at over 2.4 million users within days. Industry analysts noted that the vast majority of launch traffic originated in East Asia. The title dominated global sales charts immediately.

Concurrent player figures broke single-player records.

6. Rapid Sales Milestone

Former Sony Interactive Entertainment CEO Ken Kutaragi confirmed 20 million units sold in the first month. Guinness World Records recognized the title as the fastest-selling game based on a classic novel. Physical editions distributed by PM Studios performed strongly in international markets. Game Science financial managers reported research and development costs exceeding 300 million yuan.

Sales surpassed twenty million units in a month.

7. Xbox Optimization Delay

The Xbox Series X/S version faced delays due to memory optimization requirements. Studio founder Feng Ji cited the shared memory architecture as a technical hurdle. Game Science completed the Xbox optimization work within the first year of release. The Xbox Series X/S version subsequently launched on August 20, 2025. This release brought the game to all major platforms.

An Xbox version launched in August 2025.

8. Tourism and Economic Impact

The game boosted tourism to real-world historical locations in China. Regional tax authorities provided research and development deductions to support the studio. Sony executives reported that the game significantly increased PlayStation 5 hardware sales in China. State media praised the project for showcasing cultural export potential. The success inspired increased investor confidence in domestic Chinese game studios.

The success stimulated domestic industry investment.

9. Merchandise and Concerts

Game Science organized global symphony concert tours featuring music from the game. Official merchandise brands launched alongside commemorative art books and vinyl soundtracks. Queen Studios produced high-end collectible figurines for the collector editions. Collaborations with various commercial brands produced co-branded electronics and soft drinks. Art exhibitions displayed physical replicas of in-game shrines.

Global concert tours accompanied merchandise sales.

10. Future Series Plans

Black Myth: Wukong launched on PC and PlayStation 5 in August 2024 and reached a large concurrent audience on Steam. Game Science reported rapid sales after release. The earlier public trailer had led to a shipped game rather than remaining only a demonstration. Later platform releases and announcements were separate from the original launch; plans for another title did not mean that title had already been completed.

The long public development ended in an actual release.

Sources

• Original narrative adaptation — CC BY-SA 4.0
• Wikipedia contributors — Black Myth: Wukong (CC BY-SA 4.0)