People try games at the booth of Game Science during Gamescom 2023 in Cologne, Germany, Aug. 23, 2023. (Xinhua/Zhang Fan)
TAIYUAN, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- The Monkey King or Sun Wukong, one of the most iconic characters in global fiction, comes to life for fans this Tuesday with the release of the Chinese video game Black Myth: Wukong.
Expressing his excitement, Xu Zhi, a gaming enthusiast from north China's Shanxi Province, said he took a day off just to fully immerse himself in the world of Wukong. "I've been waiting for such a game since I first read Journey to the West as a kid."
No video game has ever stirred such excitement among Chinese youngsters. The domestic triple-A title, which amassed a record 1.2 million pre-orders in just over a month, is based on Sun Wukong, the iconic figure from Journey to the West -- one of China's four great classical novels that was frequently adapted into TV series, movies and games over the years.
Triple-A games are typically defined as high-cost, high-volume, high-quality stand-alone titles, a market currently dominated by Japanese, American and French companies.
Millions of Chinese gaming enthusiasts share the same exhilaration. When the first video for Black Myth: Wukong was released on Bilibili, a leading video platform in China, on August 20, 2020, it garnered over 10 million views within 24 hours.
Fans rejoiced at seeing a well-crafted game virtually rich in Chinese architecture and sculptures for the first time.
China is the largest gaming market in the world, with sales revenue exceeding 300 billion Chinese yuan (about 42 billion U.S. dollars) in 2023.
To craft a truly immersive, world-class game, the game company Game Science spent years capturing footage from historical and cultural sites across China. They used real-world scanning technology to upload digital models of ancient buildings, statues and sculptures into Unreal Engine 5, a real-time 3D creation tool, laying the foundation for an ultra-realistic experience.
Today, these popular sites have become must-visit destinations for young Chinese. In Shanxi, which boasts the highest concentration of historical buildings in China, young visitors are flocking to Yuhuang Temple in Jincheng City. According to Tian Tongtong, a temple staff member, tourism has reached a record high, with about 40 percent of visitors coming because of the game.
"I had no idea that China had such realistic colored statues. I was truly amazed after seeing them," said Pan Qingqing from Shanghai.
According to Yang Qi, chief art director of Game Science, they initially attempted to create original buildings and sculptures but found that existing traditional elements were already incredibly captivating. "So, we focused on reproducing the beauty of these treasures as accurately as possible in the game."
The blend of traditional culture with an interactive gaming experience is more likely to attract youth both domestically and internationally, encouraging them to explore and fall in love with Chinese culture, said Han Xiao, lecturer at the University of International Business and Economics in Beijing.
He noted that even casual gamers around him, including those working in cultural and educational fields, have purchased the game. "Their interest lies not only in the combat itself, but also how the game serves as a novel medium to explore Chinese culture and connect with the young audience."
Inspired by the game's rich cultural elements online, some fans even started performing the game's theme music using traditional instruments.
Not only players at home but also international game enthusiasts are eager to post videos related to Sun Wukong to explore the underlying culture.
"Great games allow players worldwide to exchange experiences and share joy," said Feng Ji, the game's producer and cofounder of Game Science, noting he is glad to receive feedback from game players all over the world.
He said the global attention and praise has surpassed his initial expectations and has further motivated his team to develop more similar products.
"We plan to continue releasing games in the Black Myth series in the future, allowing more people to savor the marvelous and profound traditional culture," Feng said.
增值税发票数据显示：春节假期中国服务消费火热 中新社北京2月18日电 (记者 赵建华)中国国家税务总局18日公布的增值税发票数据显示，今年春节假期(正月初一至初八)中国服务消费相关行业日均销售收入同比增长52.3% 春节假期中国民航运输旅客创历史新高 中新社北京2月18日电 (记者 刘文文)记者18日从中国民航局获悉，2024年春节假期(2月10日―2月17日)民航市场平稳有序运行，全国民航累计运输旅客1799.2万人次，日均运输旅客224.9 中新经纬2月18日电 “长三角铁路”微博18日消息，截至2月17日，2024年春节假期正式落下帷幕，长三角铁路假期8天发送旅客逾1700万人次，日均发送旅客在215万人次以上，较2019年同期增幅超六成。2月18日(正月初九)是假期后的 傅园慧包车遭遇临时加价 涉事司机被罚款3万元 中新网2月17日电 17日，游泳世界冠军傅园慧通过社交平台发布求助帖称，她在吉林长白山包车出行时遭遇勒索，询问网友是否需要报警。 之后傅园慧更新社交媒体表示，问题 这次参与到日喀则市边境县中学生赴北京参观研学活动的22个同学分别来自亚东、定日、仲巴三个县，他们的祖辈或是世代守边固边，或是举家搬离故乡抵边兴边。 2月21日，到了研学活动的第二天。经过近 钛白粉出口热度不减 多公司开启年内第二轮涨价 本报记者 黄 群 近日，国内钛白粉企业再度提价，2024年钛白粉第二轮涨价开启。2月20日，先是龙佰集团、惠云钛业宣布当日上调各型号钛白粉销售价格。2月21日，中核 。本文链接：Interactive game featuring Monkey King gains immense popularityhttp://www.sushuapos.com/show-5-25498-0.html
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