Black Myth: Wukong breaks Steam records, paving the way for a shift in focus for Chinese game development studios.
Black Myth: Wukong was released on Tuesday, August 20, 2024, after more than 4 years of anticipation. Since its successful launch on PC (Steam and Epic Games) and PlayStation, the game has continued to break Steam records. As of the time of writing this piece, the game records a staggering number of 1,925,683 concurrent players on Steam.
This success is largely credited to the game’s strong ties to Chinese mythology, as it draws inspiration from the classic novel Journey to the West. Besides, the game’s high-quality storyline and impressive graphics have played a significant role in its popularity. Here’s everything you should know:
Black Myth: Wukong’s Steam Record-Breaking Sales
Black Myth: Wukong has quickly become the most popular game on Steam, reaching over 2.2 million concurrent players just hours after its launch. The game breaks the concurrent Steam record for single-player titles on the gaming platform, beating Cyberpunk 2077, which held the record for the longest time.
This game has obviously piqued the interest of gamers worldwide and is now ranked first on the list of the world’s best-selling Steam games.
In addition, Black Myth: Wukong has set the Steam record for the second-highest concurrent player count in history, surpassing previous records, with PUBG: Battlegrounds holding the top spot at 3.2 million in 2018.On Friday, August 23, 2024, Game Science revealed that Black Myth: Wukong has sold 10 million copies, with an impressive 3 million concurrent players across all platforms. These figures are remarkable, given that the game was released only three days prior.
Rumors suggest that Steam alone accounted for 8 million of these sales within the first three days, which aligns with the high number of concurrent players reported by StreamDB.
The game is priced at $59.99 for players in the United States and approximately $38 for Chinese players. Given the average of these prices and the rumored number of copies sold on Steam, Black Myth: Wukong is estimated to have generated over $500 million in revenue on Steam alone.
What Does This Mean for Chinese Game Developers?
Black Myth Wukong is the first Triple-A game developed by a Chinese game studio to top Steam’s most-played list. Its immense popularity is now an inspiration to other game developers in the region who believe they can compete with Western game studios on a global scale. Hence, the game represents the increasing capabilities of Chinese game development.
While most Black Myth: Wukong’s players are from China, the game’s success – as a premium Triple-A title – reflects the dynamics within the gaming market. It also provides an opportunity for Chinese and non-Chinese developers to collaborate. Moreover, China is the world’s largest gaming market, with sales revenue of over ¥300 billion in 2023.
Conclusion
Black Myth: Wukong is not only a hit within the gaming community, as shown by the Steam record it breaks, but also a celebration of rich cultural heritage, sparking global interest in traditional Chinese culture. With its stunning visuals and other attributes, many gamers, both in China and internationally, believe it’s a strong contender for Game of the Year.
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