'Black Myth: Wukong' video game sparks global interest in Chinese culture

The Chinese-made video game "Black Myth: Wukong", inspired by the ancient Chinese literature classic "Journey to the West", became a global gaming sensation shortly after its official release globally on Aug. 20.

People pose for photos at the photo area of "Black Myth: Wukong" during Gamescom 2024 in Cologne, Germany, Aug. 22, 2024. (Xinhua/Zhang Fan)

Considered the first Chinese-developed "Triple-A" video game title, the game has taken overseas social media by storm, igniting a great interest in traditional Chinese culture, including the ancient Chinese tale, Chinese aesthetics, and Chinese elements.

The game signifies a breakthrough in technology and creativity for China's game industry and opens a new window for global players to understand Chinese culture.

Engaging characters, story entices foreign audience

Overseas gaming forums saw discussions about the most popular NPCs (non-playable characters) in the game. Characters such as Pigsy from the classic novel, the demon Xugou guarding the alchemy furnace, the talking lanterns in the Spider Cave level, and Kang Jinlong in the Little Western Heaven level who can transform into a dragon have all enthralled foreign net users.

However, the character that's really stolen the show is the game's protagonist, the Destined One, inspired by Wukong or the Monkey King, an iconic figure from "Journey to the West".

Foreign players have taken the initiative to look for information about the Chinese classic epic and study the Chinese mythological system. Social media has been abuzz with their discussions about concepts like Heaven, the Dragon King's palace, and demons, showcasing a genuine curiosity about traditional Chinese culture.

To understand the story better, one Italian gamer searched for "Journey to the West" online and read it using translation software.

Another dedicated fan went above and beyond, compiling a 214-page catalog of the Monkey King's magic powers and skills depicted in "Journey to the West" in English, with some Chinese descriptions cited from the book.

World class standards, quality

"We aim to tell a Chinese story through world-class quality, technology, and visual standards," said Feng Ji, CEO of the game's developer Game Science and producer of the game.

The game is developed using Unreal Engine 5 and deploys virtual micro-polygon geometry technology that allows for the direct handling of models with billions or even hundreds of billions of polygons, achieving extremely high precision in geometric detail. Consequently, the scenes and characters in the game showcase incredibly realistic details, such as the textures of ancient buildings and the fur on Wukong.

Yin Kai, who undertakes the majority of the action work for the protagonist of "Black Myth: Wukong," works at a motion capture workshop in Shenzhen, south China's Guangdong Province. (Xinhua/Mao Siqian)

To recreate the realistic expressions and smooth movements of game characters, the production team utilized extensive motion capture technology. Professional actors wore motion capture suits equipped with reflective markers and were filmed from all angles by multiple cameras in a motion capture studio. Their movements were then captured into virtual data and applied to virtual models, refining them for final use in the game. The motion capture technology was developed by a company located in Shijingshan district, Beijing, and it improved the efficiency of the entire game's action production by over 30 percent.

The cutting engine technology also allowed for the faithful recreation of real locations in China to appear in the game, as well as examples of Chinese intangible cultural heritage.

To show the scenes that are more in line with the original novel, the game team incorporated elements of Chinese intangible cultural heritage, such as the storytelling art of northern Shaanxi, and completed the digital scanning of scenic spots and historical sites across China, including Yuhuang Temple, the Dazu Rock Carvings, and Shisi Temple.

Promoting Chinese culture

The success of "Black Myth: Wukong" explores a new path for Chinese cultural exports, said Pan Helin, a member of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology's Expert Committee for Information and Communication Economy.

Chinese Ambassador to the United States Xie Feng mentioned the game's global popularity during his speech at the opening ceremony of the 22nd Washington Chinese Cultural Festival on Aug. 31.

Some players specifically choose the Chinese version, because they feel that the Chinese voice acting can better immerse them in the world of Chinese mythology. Some players begin to read the "Journey to the West" novel to better understand the game's settings and storyline. Some are inspired to visit the locations featured in the game, Xie said.

The boundless popularity of "Black Myth: Wukong" lies in at least three ingredients: Wukong's optimistic, brave and righteous character; the timeless and unique charm of the Chinese culture; and, a universal human desire for communication, cooperation and mutual learning, Xie added.

Xie said after taking a "Journey to the West" through playing the game, why not take a "journey to the East" through a trip to China?