Overview
Black Myth: Zhong Kui has been confirmed for three platforms: PlayStation 5, Windows (PC), and Xbox Series X|S. No release date, release window, or timeline of any kind has been announced. The game was described by Game Science as being in a very early stage of development at the time of its Gamescom 2025 announcement.
Confirmed platforms
PlayStation 5
Windows (PC)
Xbox Series X|S
All three current-generation platforms were confirmed at the Gamescom 2025 reveal. No last-generation (PS4, Xbox One) versions have been mentioned, which is consistent with the game targeting next-generation hardware and Unreal Engine 5 capabilities.
Simultaneous multi-platform launch
A notable detail about the platform announcement is that all three were confirmed simultaneously. This marks a clear departure from the approach taken with Black Myth: Wukong, which launched with a one-year timed exclusivity arrangement between PlayStation 5 and PC on August 20, 2024. The Xbox Series X|S version of Wukong followed a full year later on August 20, 2025.
By confirming all platforms from the start, Game Science is signaling that Zhong Kui will not repeat the exclusivity model. Whether this reflects a strategic decision, different publishing arrangements, or simply an effort to avoid the negative perception that surrounded Wukong's delayed Xbox launch is unknown.
Development status
At the Gamescom 2025 announcement, Game Science emphasized that the project was extremely early. The studio described it as "little more than an empty folder" at that point. This language was intentionally modest, managing expectations for a game that had generated enormous interest based on the success of Wukong.
Producer Feng Ji explained the decision to announce Zhong Kui before entering full production: "A DLC would, of course, have been a solid choice, but right now we prefer to make a new Black Myth game first: new hero, new gameplay, new visual, new technology, and new story. We want to free our hands, experiment boldly, break from fixed formulas, and start from scratch."
The phrase "start from scratch" is telling. It suggests that Zhong Kui is not being built on top of Wukong's existing systems or assets, but is being developed as a new project from the ground up. This would explain the early development status and the absence of any gameplay footage.
Speculation about timeline
Some gaming outlets have speculated that Zhong Kui may be closer to release than the "empty folder" description suggests. The evidence cited for this includes: the confirmation of specific current-gen platforms (which implies some technical groundwork has been laid), the quality of the in-engine Chinese New Year 2026 video (which demonstrates real-time rendering capabilities), and the fact that Game Science rebranded its social media from "Black Myth: Wukong" to "Black Myth" prior to the announcement.
However, none of this constitutes a concrete timeline. No release window has been stated or hinted at by Game Science. Wukong took approximately six years to develop. While Game Science now has more resources, more staff, and more experience, projecting Zhong Kui's release date would be pure guesswork.
Wukong DLC status
The announcement of Zhong Kui as a standalone game rather than Wukong DLC raised questions about the future of Wukong content. Game Science stated that Wukong "will continue" but that Zhong Kui takes priority. Feng Ji characterized Zhong Kui as a creative detour before returning to the Monkey King "in a more complete and polished form." The status and timeline of any Wukong DLC remain unclear.
No early access
No early access program has been announced. Given that Wukong launched as a complete, finished product without an early access period, and given Game Science's emphasis on polish, an early access release for Zhong Kui would be a departure from the studio's established approach. But as with everything else about this game's release plans, nothing has been confirmed or denied.