Chinese action RPG Black Myth: Wukong has broken through a million player count just an hour after releasing.
Black Myth: Wukong Hits 1 Million Players in Less Than an Hour
Wukong Hits 1.18M 24hr Peak on Steam
- screenshot via SteamDB
The hotly anticipated Chinese action RPG Black Myth: Wukong has taken the gaming world by storm, reaching 1 million players on Steam within just one hour of its release. At the time of writing, the game’s 24-hour peak player count sits at 1,182,305 players, according to data from Steam DB.
Black Myth: Wukong propelled to the top of Steam’s charts, breaking records as the most-played single-player game on the platform. It has surpassed titles such as GTA 5, Elden Ring, and the viral Banana game for racking up the highest all-time peak user count on Steam.
Released on August 20 for PS5 and PC, with a subsequent Xbox release still pending, Black Myth: Wukong has quickly become one of this year’s biggest gaming hits. The game’s rapid success has been fueled by the hype surrounding its visuals, gameplay, and its own take on Chinese mythology. Even in its first hours of official release, it managed to outperform long-standing Steam chart-toppers like Counter-Strike 2 and Dota 2 in concurrent player counts.
After years of development and several launch delays, the game’s release has been met with positive reviews. On Steam, it currently has a 96% 'Positive' rating, meanwhile over on Metacritic, Black Myth: Wukong has received a rating of 82/100 based on over 50 ciritic reviews. However, the game hasn’t been without its challenges and controversies. This week, critics and streamers alike raised concerns over restrictive content guidelines reportedly issued by the game's publishers, which dictated what could and couldn’t be discussed in reviews and streams. Despite this, the recent wave of positive reviews and reception look to help solidify the game’s place as a standout in 2024.
Black Myth: Wukong Sees Major Success in Hometown China
In terms of the player count demographics, Black Myth: Wukong sees its strongest support in China, where it accounts for an estimated 88.1% of the game’s Steam user base, according to data from game media agency GameDiscoverCo. The US follows with 3%, with Hong Kong and Japan rounding out the top regions.
In China, the launch of Black Myth: Wukong was nothing short of a phenomenon. The game trended on social media, particularly as the hot top topic on the platform Weibo, and generated what was described as unprecedented buzz in the country’s gaming community. Just days before its release, the game was embroiled in a leak incident, which only amped up the hype.
The success of Black Myth: Wukong has even sparked interest from China’s Shanxi province, as many of the game’s in-game locations are inspired by real-world cultural sites. Players have reportedly been calling for the Shanxi Department of Culture and Tourism to launch cultural tourism activities and initiatives related to the game, including specialized travel routes, completion certificates, official merchandise, and more.
"We have been inundated with requests from all directions—some seeking customized travel routes, others looking for detailed guides. Rest assured, we have carefully noted every expectation." said a representative from the Shanxi Department of Culture and Tourism, according to the Global Times.
- (c) Xinhua News
The department had previously released a promo video comparing scenes from Black Myth: Wukong with real-world sites like ancient temples and pagodas located in Shanxi. The video highlighted the province's rich cultural heritage, featuring sites such as the South Chan Temple, Iron Buddha Temple, Guangsheng Temple, and the Stork Tower, all of which players can virtually visit in the game.
Moreover, the Chinese news agency Xinhua aired a 30-minute documentary on the game’s development, featuring interviews with the Wukong dev team at Game Science. The documentary centered around how the devs aimed to authentically recreate elements of Chinese culture, from historic temples to mythological figures. Feng Ji, co-founder of Game Science, remarked in the interview, "We embody the simple love everyone has for this country and this nation."
Source:
SteamDB
Global Times:Explore Shanxi’s cultural treasures following ‘Black Myth: Wukong’
Fortune: Over a million people flock to play Black Myth: Wukong, China’s most serious attempt to make a blockbuster video game
Xinhua:Across China: Homegrown games revive glamour of Chinese traditional culture
