Black Myth: Wukong Drives Record Overseas Revenue in Chinese Gaming Market

Record Revenue Surge in the Chinese Gaming Market

In the third quarter, the Chinese video gaming market achieved record revenues, reaching 91.8 billion yuan (approximately US$12.9 billion). The rise, calculated at 8.95 percent from 84.2 billion yuan last year, is largely attributed to the colossal success of the country's first AAA title, Black Myth: Wukong.

The Impact of Black Myth: Wukong

Launched in August by Hangzhou-based studio Game Science, Black Myth: Wukong has become a phenomenon, currently playable on Windows and PlayStation 5. Not only has the game bolstered domestic sales, but its global reach led to an impressive 21 percent increase in overseas revenue, totaling US$5.17 billion for the quarter.

A Closer Look at Sales Performance

• Global sales of Black Myth: Wukong via Steam have surpassed 21 million copies.
• The game has accrued over US$1 billion in revenue for its developer according to VG Insights.
• Game Science now ranks as the 12th largest game publisher on Steam, following giants like Valve and Electronic Arts.

Future Prospects and Market Dynamics

Despite the growth in the AAA sector, mobile games saw a modest increase of 1.21 percent, totaling 65.7 billion yuan. The National Press and Publication Administration has been active, approving 850 game titles during the early months of this year versus 609 in the same timeframe of 2023.