Gaming
Tencent-backed video game sells 10 million copies in 83 hours
Black Myth: Wukong, a Chinese-made video game backed by Tencent Holdings Ltd., took just 83 hours to sell 10 million copies, one of the fastest debuts in industry history.
Chinese video game Black Myth: Wukong, supported by Tencent Holdings Ltd., achieved a remarkable milestone by selling 10 million copies within a span of 83 hours, establishing itself as one of the fastest-selling debuts in the gaming industry.
The game accomplished this feat on Friday evening Beijing time, a mere few days after its Tuesday release, as confirmed by the developer Game Science.
Game Science has Tencent as a key investor holding a 5% stake in the company, with South African entity Naspers possessing a 24% interest in Tencent.
With a peak of 3 million concurrent users playing simultaneously across PC and PlayStation platforms, Black Myth: Wukong swiftly gained popularity. It emerged as the most favored single-player title on the Steam PC platform on its debut day, surpassing high-profile contenders such as Cyberpunk 2077 and Elden Ring, according to data aggregator SteamDB.
This buzz around the game persisted, leading to a new record of concurrent players on Steam on Thursday, solidifying its status as the most successful PC launch in recent memory.
Priced around $38 in mainland China and Hong Kong, significantly lower than the $60 price tag in the US, the game predominantly caters to the local market. It showcases intricate recreations of historical Chinese temples and has been described by one of its founders as an embodiment of “the simple love” for the nation in a documentary produced by state news agency Xinhua before the game’s launch.
Black Myth: Wukong achieved profitability on its launch day and garnered over $450 million in gross revenue within the initial three days, as per insights from analyst Daniel Ahmad at Niko Partners.
During Wukong‘s release week, Sony Group Corp. conducted a promotional campaign for its PlayStation 5 in China, resulting in sold-out stores of the console, according to Ahmad.
When taking into account sales across Valve Corp.’s Steam, Sony’s PlayStation 5, and Tencent’s WeGame platform, Black Myth: Wukong reached the 10 million copies sales mark faster than other prominent titles like Elden Ring and Hogwarts Legacy, which were both lauded successes in their own right.
This exceptional performance potentially signifies a positive trend for China’s gaming industry, indicating a potential shift in the $40 billion-plus gaming market following years of regulatory challenges.
Recent months have seen an influx of notable launches, including Tencent’s DnF Mobile, NetEase Inc.’s Naraka: Bladepoint Mobile, and indie studio Mihoyo’s ZZZ, making it a bustling season for new releases.
Developed by Hangzhou-based Game Science, Black Myth: Wukong stands out as the largest PC launch in China’s gaming history.
