Interactive game featuring Monkey King gains immense popularity

TAIYUAN, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- The Monkey King or Sun Wukong, one of the most iconic characters in global fiction, comes to life for fans this Tuesday with the release of the Chinese video game Black Myth: Wukong.

Expressing his excitement, Xu Zhi, a gaming enthusiast from north China's Shanxi Province, said he took a day off just to fully immerse himself in the world of Wukong. "I've been waiting for such a game since I first read Journey to the West as a kid."

No video game has ever stirred such excitement among Chinese youngsters. The domestic triple-A title, which amassed a record 1.2 million pre-orders in just over a month, is based on Sun Wukong, the iconic figure from Journey to the West -- one of China's four great classical novels that was frequently adapted into TV series, movies and games over the years.

Triple-A games are typically defined as high-cost, high-volume, high-quality stand-alone titles, a market currently dominated by Japanese, American and French companies.

Millions of Chinese gaming enthusiasts share the same exhilaration. When the first video for Black Myth: Wukong was released on Bilibili, a leading video platform in China, on August 20, 2020, it garnered over 10 million views within 24 hours.

Fans rejoiced at seeing a well-crafted game virtually rich in Chinese architecture and sculptures for the first time.

China is the largest gaming market in the world, with sales revenue exceeding 300 billion Chinese yuan (about 42 billion U.S. dollars) in 2023.

To craft a truly immersive, world-class game, the game company Game Science spent years capturing footage from historical and cultural sites across China. They used real-world scanning technology to upload digital models of ancient buildings, statues and sculptures into Unreal Engine 5, a real-time 3D creation tool, laying the foundation for an ultra-realistic experience.

Today, these popular sites have become must-visit destinations for young Chinese. In Shanxi, which boasts the highest concentration of historical buildings in China, young visitors are flocking to Yuhuang Temple in Jincheng City. According to Tian Tongtong, a temple staff member, tourism has reached a record high, with about 40 percent of visitors coming because of the game.

"I had no idea that China had such realistic colored statues. I was truly amazed after seeing them," said Pan Qingqing from Shanghai.

According to Yang Qi, chief art director of Game Science, they initially attempted to create original buildings and sculptures but found that existing traditional elements were already incredibly captivating. "So, we focused on reproducing the beauty of these treasures as accurately as possible in the game."

The blend of traditional culture with an interactive gaming experience is more likely to attract youth both domestically and internationally, encouraging them to explore and fall in love with Chinese culture, said Han Xiao, lecturer at the University of International Business and Economics in Beijing.

He noted that even casual gamers around him, including those working in cultural and educational fields, have purchased the game. "Their interest lies not only in the combat itself, but also how the game serves as a novel medium to explore Chinese culture and connect with the young audience."

Inspired by the game's rich cultural elements online, some fans even started performing the game's theme music using traditional instruments.

Not only players at home but also international game enthusiasts are eager to post videos related to Sun Wukong to explore the underlying culture.

"Great games allow players worldwide to exchange experiences and share joy," said Feng Ji, the game's producer and cofounder of Game Science, noting he is glad to receive feedback from game players all over the world.

He said the global attention and praise has surpassed his initial expectations and has further motivated his team to develop more similar products.

"We plan to continue releasing games in the Black Myth series in the future, allowing more people to savor the marvelous and profound traditional culture," Feng said.