History of Black Myth: Wukong in Timeline

Black Myth: Wukong is a 2024 action RPG developed and published by Game Science. Inspired by the classical Chinese novel Journey to the West, the game casts the player as the Destined One, a monkey wielding a staff. The player embarks on a journey to recover six relics tied to Sun Wukong's six senses. It has garnered significant attention for its high-fidelity graphics and challenging combat, drawing comparisons to Souls-like games. The game's narrative draws heavily from Chinese mythology and folklore, reinterpreting familiar characters and events from the source material.

February 25, 2018: Single-player game decision

On February 25, 2018, Game Science made the decision to create Black Myth: Wukong as a single-player game, focusing on traditional cultural themes.

December 2018: Development team relocation

In December 2018, the Game Science development team relocated from Shenzhen to Hangzhou to further develop Black Myth: Wukong.

August 20, 2020: Game Announcement

On August 20, 2020, Black Myth: Wukong was first announced with a trailer showcasing gameplay from its pre-alpha build on Unreal Engine 4. The trailer demonstrated the game built on Unreal Engine 4 and garnered millions of views within a day. It was released to attract potential employees to help build the game.

August 20, 2021: Unreal Engine 5 Announcement

On August 20, 2021, Game Science revealed that Black Myth: Wukong was being developed on Unreal Engine 5, switching from Unreal Engine 4 to pursue greater realism in the game's style and design.

January 2023: Release Window Reveal

In January 2023, Game Science published a short film celebrating the upcoming Year of the Rabbit which revealed that Black Myth: Wukong would be released in the summer of 2024.

December 2023: Official Release Date Announcement

During The Game Awards in December 2023, Game Science released a trailer announcing the official release date for Black Myth: Wukong as August 20, 2024.

May 2024: Most Wishlisted Game on Steam

Starting May 2024, Black Myth: Wukong became the most-wishlisted game on Steam.

June 8, 2024: Pre-orders Launch

Pre-orders for Black Myth: Wukong launched on June 8, 2024, with the inclusion of the in-game content Trailblazer's Scarlet Gourd.

June 2024: Xbox Series X/S Version Delayed

In June 2024, Game Science announced that the Xbox Series X/S version of Black Myth: Wukong was delayed for optimization purposes to meet their quality standards.

Xbox Series X – 1TB Digital Edition

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August 2024: Steam Top Seller

As reported in early August 2024, ahead of its release, Black Myth: Wukong ranked first on Steam's global top sellers chart.

August 2024: Fastest start in gaming, most-downloaded PS5 game

In August 2024, Black Myth: Wukong achieved one of the fastest starts in the global gaming industry, selling 18 million units in two weeks. Sony also reported it was the most-downloaded PlayStation 5 game in North America, Europe, and Japan during August 2024.

PlayStation®5 Digital Edition (slim)

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August 20, 2024: Black Myth: Wukong Release

On August 20, 2024, Black Myth: Wukong was released for PlayStation 5 and Windows. The game received generally favorable reviews from critics and won several accolades including Game of the Year awards.

PlayStation®5 Digital Edition (slim)

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August 22, 2024: Peak Concurrent Players on Steam

On August 22, 2024, Black Myth: Wukong reached an all-time peak of over 2.4 million concurrent players on Steam, becoming the second-highest game by this metric and the highest single-player game to date.

August 23, 2024: Sales Milestone Achieved

Game Science announced that Black Myth: Wukong sold 10 million units as of August 23, 2024, and reached 3 million concurrent players across all platforms, making it one of the fastest-selling titles of all time.

September 2024: 20 Million Units Sold

During the Tokyo Game Show in September 2024, it was announced that Black Myth: Wukong had sold 20 million units in its first month.

September 2024: Microsoft Responds to Delay Speculation

In September 2024, Microsoft responded to speculation surrounding the delay of the Xbox version of Black Myth: Wukong, stating that it was not due to Xbox limitations.

September 30, 2024: PlayStation 5 Sales Surge

Leading up to its launch and afterwards, Black Myth: Wukong boosted PlayStation 5 sales in China, which doubled on Tmall compared to the same period in the previous year. Former PlayStation Studios President Shuhei Yoshida noted PS5 consoles sold out after the game's release in 2024. On September 30, 2024, Sony reported that third-party titles like Black Myth: Wukong increased sales in their Game and Network Services division.

PlayStation®5 Digital Edition (slim)

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October 1, 2024: Epic Games Announces Sales Milestone

On October 1, 2024, Epic Games' Unreal Engine VP & GM Bill Clifford announced at Unreal Fest Seattle that Black Myth: Wukong surpassed 20 million units sold the previous week. Feng Ji also stated the game was developed on Unreal Engine.

October 2024: Figurines Revealed

During the Wonder Festival Shanghai in October 2024, Queen Studios revealed figurines of various characters from Black Myth: Wukong, including a life-size bust of the Destined One.

October 2024: Physical Edition Announcement

In October 2024, Game Science announced that the physical edition for Black Myth: Wukong on PlayStation 5 would be available soon, including the base game and a voucher code for Deluxe Edition content.

PlayStation®5 Digital Edition (slim)

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October 2024: Symphony Concerts Held

In October 2024, symphony concerts featuring the music of Black Myth: Wukong, produced by Poly Culture Group and Game Science, were held in various cities across China.

December 2024: Free Content Update

In December 2024, Game Science provided a free update for Black Myth: Wukong, comprising new content such as a boss rush mode, chapter maps, and a Chinese New Year armor set.

December 2024: Physical edition release

In December 2024, physical editions of Black Myth: Wukong were released in some regions.

2024: Awards and Recognition

In 2024, Black Myth: Wukong received multiple awards. Beth Park, lead performance director, was selected as a BAFTA Breakthrough in 2024 for her work on the game.