Black Myth: Wukong release day starts with record-breaking numbers.
A new game by the Chinese developer Game Science was facing controversy pre-release, but it turns out none of that really mattered; the game is shattering records in real time.
In the first 24 hours after its release, Black Myth: Wukong has reached an all-time peak of over 2,000,000 concurrent players on Steam. This puts it in second place, just ahead of Palworld. The current number one is still PUBG. But remember, the Wukong numbers do not include PS5 players.
What Is Black Myth: Wukong?
The game is set in a world based on the novel "Journey to the West," which inspired Dragonball. Players take on the role of a monkey trained in various fighting styles.
The gameplay is similar to a Souls-like, but as a monkey you of course have a lot more mobility than normal. Honestly, it didn't look like it would be massively popular pre-release; more of a b-tier game.
Did Controversy Help?
In the weeks leading up to release, Black Myth: Wukong faced tough criticism. First, the developer came under fire for alleged sexism. Then, an article from Screen Rant slammed the game for its lack of diversity. And just before the game's release, some strange guidelines for streamers got leaked. In those guidelines, the developer banned "feminist propaganda" and discussions about Chinese politics, while streaming the game.
Those controversies certainly don't seem to have hurt the game.
Will you be playing Wukong?