Wukong’ hits record numbers at debut By Reuters

BEIJING (Reuters) – A new video game title released by a Tencent-backed startup on Tuesday quickly became the most played game on a major online platform, highlighting growing interest in titles developed in China.

“Black Myth: Wukong,” based on the Chinese mythological figure and the classic novel “Journey to the West,” topped Steam’s most-played game chart with 1.4 million concurrent players within hours of its release.

Game Science, the developer behind “Black Myth: Wukong,” was founded in 2014 by former Tencent employee Feng Ji. The company has secured the backing of several investors, including Chinese tech giant Tencent and mobile game publisher Hero Entertainment.

First teased in 2020, the game gained global attention as a big-budget title from China. Pre-orders opened on June 8, with the game topping Steam China’s sales charts for the week of August 6-13.

Tuesday’s release also caused a stir domestically, with “Black Myth: Wukong” trending on social media. The hashtag ranked second on Weibo (NASDAQ: ), China’s popular microblogging platform, with 1.7 billion views.

Several major brands have taken advantage of the game’s popularity in their marketing efforts. Lenovo Group (OTC:), Luckin coffee (OTC:) and Didi are among those incorporating “Black Myth: Wukong”-inspired elements into their promotional campaigns.