Inspired by the 16th-century ‘Journey to the West‘ Chinese classic, the video game ‘Black Myth: Wukong‘ has topped the wishlist chart on Steam, a global digital distribution platform for video games.
This is yet another testament to China’s expanding cultural footprint beyond traditional boundaries, with video games becoming new ambassadors of its rich heritage.
New Lines Magazine in the United States highlighted the worldwide attention ‘Black Myth: Wukong‘ has attracted, saying it indicates that “China’s investment in soft power is paying off.”
“Chinese cultural elements are merging with cutting-edge communication technologies to form a ‘Chinese digital flow,’ creating a new image of China that is ‘cute and cool’ as well as ‘dynamic’,” said Shi Anbin, director of the Israel Epstein Center for Global Media and Communication at Tsinghua University, adding that this new portrayal is capturing the attention of Generation Z worldwide.
This digital transformation is not an isolated event. In recent years, Chinese cultural exports have garnered international acclaim. From the literary success of the ‘Three-Body Problem‘ novels to the cinematic achievements of ‘The Wandering Earth‘ series and the global popularity of historical dramas like ‘Story of Yanxi Palace‘, China’s cultural influence continues to grow.
Now, Chinese online games, such as the globally celebrated ‘Genshin Impact‘, are expanding this influence, particularly among younger audiences.
Data from German statistics platform Statista shows that ‘Genshin Impact‘ is one of the fastest games to exceed US$100 million in player spending worldwide, achieving this milestone in just 13 days.
American online magazine The Diplomat stated that ‘Genshin Impact‘ was the first Chinese video game to become a global hit, characterizing the role-playing game’s massive success as “a win for China’s soft power.”
These games, Shi noted, uniquely engage global players with Chinese culture by allowing them to participate and influence the story’s development through “game language” over a long period of time, fostering extended interaction.
The influence of ‘Journey to the West‘ extends across China and beyond, especially East Asia. The story has been adapted into numerous forms of media, including operas, TV series, films, and now video games.
On YouTube, many users from Asian countries have expressed how the game’s trailer music evokes their childhood memories. “I loved the Monkey King as a child. I can’t even tell you how many times I read ‘Journey to the West‘,” read a comment, written in Japanese.
China’s domestically developed gaming products raked in US$16.37 billion in overseas sales in 2023, marking the fourth consecutive year this figure has surpassed ¥100 billion, according to a report from the game publishing committee of the China Audio-video and Digital Publishing Association.
As China continues to blend its rich cultural heritage with modern digital platforms, its influence on global pop culture is poised to grow, showcasing a dynamic and multifaceted image to the world, according to communication studies experts.
‘Black Myth: Wukong‘ is not the only major gaming title set to satisfy the needs of gamers interested in China’s rich culture this year.
‘Phantom Blade Zero‘, developed by Beijing-based S-Game, has been touted as a fusion of traditional Chinese martial arts and fantasy. Since early June, its latest trailer has garnered over 1.4 million views on PlayStation’s official YouTube page, with the game’s world tour demon running from June to September.
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