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Overview
Black Myth: Wukong is a single-player action RPG developed and published by Game Science. Based on the classic Chinese novel Journey to the West, it follows the Monkey King through a mythological world of gods, demons, and spirits. It is the first title in the Black Myth series and the predecessor to Black Myth: Zhong Kui.
Release and platforms
The game launched on August 20, 2024, on PC (Steam) and PlayStation 5. The Xbox Series X|S version followed exactly one year later on August 20, 2025. Development took approximately six years at a total cost of around $70 million. Roughly $42.5 million for development and $27.5 million for marketing.
Commercial performance
Wukong was a commercial phenomenon by any measure. Key numbers:
4.5 million copies sold across all platforms within 24 hours (3+ million on Steam)
$53 million in pre-sales before launch
15 million copies in the first week
20 million copies in the first month
Over 28 million copies by end of 2024
Over 30 million copies by the first anniversary
Exceeded $1 billion in Steam revenue alone
30% of players were from outside China
On Steam, Wukong peaked at 2,415,714 concurrent players: the highest ever for a single-player game and the second-highest all-time on the platform, behind only PUBG: Battlegrounds. At the time of its launch, Steam itself broke its own record at over 37 million concurrent users.
Gameplay
The game's combat centers on the Ruyi Jingu Bang (the Monkey King's extending staff) with three stances: Smash (heavy, area attacks), Pillar (planted staff techniques), and Thrust (rapid piercing strikes). Players can also use transformation abilities to take the form of defeated enemies, and a spirit system grants access to powerful NPC abilities.
The game drew comparisons to the "Soulslike" genre but played faster and placed less emphasis on stamina management. Boss encounters were a particular highlight, with complex multi-phase fights against mythological figures.
Critical reception
Wukong received an 82 on Metacritic (PC, 48 critic reviews). Reviews praised the visual fidelity, boss design, and cultural authenticity while noting some issues with pacing and camera in certain fights. PS5 review copies were not provided at launch.
Awards
Item | Description |
|---|---|
Golden Joystick Awards 2024 | Ultimate Game of the Year, Best Visual Design |
The Game Awards 2024 | Best Action Game, Players' Voice |
Steam Awards 2024 | Game of the Year, Outstanding Story-Rich Game, Best Game You Stuck At |
NAVGTR Awards 2025 | Won for Animation (Technical) and Character Design; 20 total nominations |
Cultural impact
Wukong's success extended beyond gaming. The Chow Tai Fook jewelry collaboration exceeded 150 million yuan in retail value. Shanxi Province (where many of the game's real-world temple locations are found) saw a 46.90% year-over-year increase in tourism attributed to the game. For the Chinese gaming industry, Wukong proved that a premium single-player game from China could compete at the highest global level.
Legacy for the series
Wukong's success gave Game Science the resources and credibility to expand the Black Myth series. The studio rebranded its social media from "Black Myth: Wukong" to "Black Myth" when announcing Zhong Kui at Gamescom 2025. Feng Ji has confirmed Wukong's story will continue eventually, calling Zhong Kui a creative detour before returning to the Monkey King "in a more complete and polished form."