From the Success of "Black Myth: Wukong" to the Game-Based Communication Path for Chinese Culture Going Global

Li Xiaoqin, Qiu Xia
(School of Journalism and Communication, Kashi University, Kashi, Xinjiang 844006)

Abstract

[Objective] The domestic Chinese game Black Myth: Wukong achieved remarkable success upon release, offering a valuable case for examining the creative transformation and innovative development of Chinese culture. [Methods] This paper conducts content analysis of game development literature and the game text of Black Myth: Wukong to explore how various factors in game development influence innovation. [Results] The game's creative transformation and innovative development of Chinese culture encompass innovations in narrative content, visual design, and game mechanics. [Conclusion] Through discussing the innovations in this game, this paper proposes that games can serve as an effective communication pathway for promoting Chinese culture globally, telling Chinese stories well, and showcasing the spirit of Chinese culture.

Keywords: Black Myth: Wukong; games; Chinese culture; innovation; pathway
CLC Number: G202
Document Code: A
Article ID: 1671-0134(2025)02-49-05
DOI: 10.19483/j.cnki.11-4653/n.2025.02.008

1. PEST Analysis of Black Myth: Wukong's Success

The success of Black Myth: Wukong is inseparable from the broader environment of game industry development, including political, economic, sociocultural, and technological factors. These external conditions provide developers with greater opportunities and resources, enabling the industry to successfully inherit and innovate Chinese culture.

1.1 Policy Dimension

The Chinese government has long prioritized game industry development. In 2004, the General Administration of Press and Publication launched the "Chinese Ethnic Online Game Publishing Project." In 2014, the State Council adopted policies promoting the integration of cultural creativity and design services with related industries, with games designated for support. In 2021, 17 ministries and commissions jointly issued the "Notice on Several Measures to Support the High-Quality Development of National Cultural Export Bases," encouraging "outstanding traditional cultural products, creative cultural products, and digital cultural products such as films, television series, and games to 'go global'" [2]. These cultural industry policies demonstrate national-level commitment to the game sector. Simultaneously, local governments in Beijing, Fujian, Guangdong, Shanghai, and elsewhere have introduced policies explicitly encouraging game companies to create original games with Chinese cultural characteristics and actively promote Chinese culture overseas, forming upstream and downstream industry clusters.

1.2 Economic Dimension

Games drive economic development and provide employment, placing them within information, digital publishing, or cultural and creative industries. Since 2008, China's online game publishing industry has grown against market trends, becoming a "locomotive" for China's internet economy [3]. The industry has evolved from outsourcing for foreign manufacturers to licensing foreign games and finally to independently developing original games, achieving remarkable results. In 2023, China's self-developed games generated actual sales revenue of 256.375 billion yuan domestically, up 15.29% year-over-year, with a user base reaching 666 million. Overseas, Chinese self-developed games earned $16.366 billion in actual sales revenue. Notably, Chinese game companies primarily target developed countries, with the U.S. accounting for 32.51%, Japan 18.87%, and South Korea 8.18% of the overseas market in 2023—totaling 59.56% [4].

1.3 Sociocultural Dimension

Public understanding and participation not only affect whether the game industry receives policy support but also influence its ability to attract high-quality talent and the effectiveness of cultural transmission. Chinese society's perception of video games has evolved from rejection to support. Beginning in the 1980s, electronic game machines (arcades) faced strong opposition, with concerns about negative impacts on students' academic performance and health. After 2000, as games spread online, accusations of negative effects peaked, with the public believing online games promoted violence, gambling, crime, harmful ideologies, and pornography, calling for stricter regulation [5]. However, as economic development increased disposable income and recognition of educational entertainment value, public attitudes gradually improved, especially after media positively framed games' socioeconomic and cultural functions. During this process, e-sports was officially designated as the 99th competitive sport by the State General Administration of Sports. China's game industry completed its transformation from foreign imports to original creation, with public perception shifting to view games as a new form of daily entertainment, a new medium for cultural inheritance, and a new pathway for social relationship building and identity construction.

1.4 Technological Dimension

Among all cultural products, games are most closely integrated with technology. The rise of information technology in the 1950s-60s laid the foundation for the game industry, with online games emerging in the late 1990s alongside internet development. Since then, game engines have matured rapidly, advancing information and digital technology industrialization. Currently, continuous upgrades in engine design, coding, and visual rendering [7], along with physics simulation and AI, have lowered barriers to virtual world creation. Rising player demands drive hardware and software updates, while virtual technology offers new possibilities, enhancing interactivity and vividness as seen in augmented reality games like Pokémon GO [8]. Black Myth: Wukong utilizes spatial computing, ray tracing, motion capture, DLSS 3.5 image rendering, and panoramic ray tracing to elevate graphical effects and visual experience [9].

2. Cultural Innovation in Black Myth: Wukong

Developed by Chinese studio Game Science, Black Myth: Wukong draws from the classic Chinese novel Journey to the West and is considered a landmark 3A title for China's game industry [10]. The industry typically defines 3A games as high-quality single-player games requiring massive time, cost, and resource investment, representing the highest industry standard [11]. Many foreign 3A masterpieces deeply embed their national historical and cultural elements, indicating that premium games are essential for China's cultural industry going global. As a milestone success case, cultural innovation was a crucial factor.

2.1 Narrative Content Innovation

The game uses Journey to the West as its foundation—a typical approach for games based on traditional culture [12]. However, Black Myth: Wukong does not simply adapt the literary work but innovates effectively. First, it respects the original's spiritual core while adding modern interpretations, telling a story of resurrection and resistance. Players become the "Destined One" seeking to retrieve the five senses and reunite them to resurrect Sun Wukong. The narrative is engaging and dramatic, with some livestream viewers praising its plot and graphics as cinematic. The storyline and characters remain faithful to Journey to the West while introducing innovations and expansions, helping players—especially overseas ones—understand characters and plot while attracting them to explore unknown stories and unlock new experiences. As the Destined One, players encounter various demons and challenges while learning about the destinies of immortals and deities, creating an innovative, challenging, and highly participatory experience rich in Chinese tradition.

2.2 Cultural Integration in Visual Design

The art team meticulously designed characters, costumes, props, and scenes. Wukong's battle robes—from tiger-skin skirts to brocade armor to golden embroidered garments—are exquisitely detailed, drawing from over a dozen ancient Chinese costume designs. Many characters, such as various "Land Gods" and level bosses like the "White-Clad Scholar," innovatively integrate imagery from ancient Chinese mythology. Additionally, the team used digital technology to present traditional cultural scenes in more realistic and three-dimensional ways, including grand architecture and rap performances synchronized with the plot, all rich in Chinese culture that resonates with domestic players while offering foreign players a visual and auditory feast.

2.3 Cultural Innovation in Game Mechanics and Design

The development team does not simply replicate traditional culture but integrates it innovatively into every design detail. For instance, game levels and tasks contain extensive traditional cultural knowledge that players must understand to obtain clues and unlock progress. Many mechanics and skill settings incorporate Chinese traditional cultural elements while adapting to the game's characteristics—such as Wukong's "Pole-Prostrating Buddha Strike" and "Staff Parry" skills derived from classical literature. These innovations make the game China's first true 3A product, delivering a spectacular Chinese cultural experience through stunning visuals, unique artistic presentation, compelling role-playing, exhilarating combat, and moving storylines. This demonstrates that game companies must prioritize cultural integration in their global expansion, as worldwide 3A products deeply embed their historical and cultural elements. For game enterprises, rooting themselves in cultural fertile soil is both a path to economic success and a corporate responsibility for cultural exchange.

3. Challenges and Strategies for Chinese Games in Overseas Cultural Transmission

While celebrating Black Myth: Wukong's success, we must recognize its difficult development process and address persistent issues in international game transmission to propose solutions.

3.1 Challenges in Chinese Games' Overseas Cultural Transmission

3.1.1 Technical and Team Building

Technical challenges have long plagued China's game industry. In interviews, Black Myth: Wukong developers noted that "the Black Wind Mountain level's production difficulty exceeded most people's imagination" [13]. For quality games, creativity is no longer the decisive factor—the challenge lies in implementation. All desired features require corresponding technology and industrial pipelines. The development team spent two to three months just to smooth out a character's sword-drawing animation. Compared to overseas flagship titles, gaps remain due to the lack of extensive motion libraries. Technical level largely determines design and development capabilities, with much room for optimization in crashes, combat mechanics, "invisible walls," and map guidance. A professional, stable team is crucial—while foreign leading companies have development teams of hundreds, Black Myth: Wukong started with only 13 people. These limitations reflect insufficient industrial processes, professional talent, and experience in domestic 3A game production.

3.1.2 Strengthening Traditional Culture Translation Effects

Over 40% of domestic digital games now transmit Chinese traditional culture, including most popular mobile games [14]. However, many merely add Chinese cultural elements without considering foreign players' comprehension difficulties. Players from different cultural backgrounds face significant barriers in recognizing and understanding these elements. For instance, they may recognize mythological figures as Chinese but not understand their cultural significance or roles. An excellent overseas game requires integrated design of its spiritual core, gameplay, visual elements, and language translation to achieve effective transmission.

3.1.3 Lack of Investment Confidence

A paradox exists in China's game industry: while overall revenue reached 302.964 billion yuan in 2023 (up 13.95%), institutional investment in animation and games has generally declined since 2015 [15]. Chinese companies prefer mobile online games with quick returns over difficult, long-cycle, uncertain 3A projects. International game development follows both "large single-player projects" and "large commercial projects" paths, but major Chinese developers "lack accumulation in the former" [16], creating insufficient confidence in this overseas pathway.

3.2 Development Strategies from a Cultural Export Perspective

3.2.1 Strengthen Professional Talent Cultivation and Encourage Game Research

China's game industry started late without foreign counterparts' capital and talent reserves, necessitating stronger developer training in professional skills and cultural literacy. This is essential for internationalization and premium development. Beyond specialized courses and training for designers, universities should cultivate interdisciplinary talent with deep humanistic qualities and cultural literacy. Additionally, game studies research must be promoted—not viewing games merely as entertainment or profit tools, but exploring design, operation, transmission, social impact, and cultural communication functions to ensure healthy, long-term development of games that satisfy domestic consumers while attracting international players.

3.2.2 Improve Cultural Translation and Reduce Cultural Discount

Cross-cultural transmission faces cultural differences that reduce audience interest and comprehension. While many developers localize by catering to target cultures, this may cause translation failures that prevent authentic cultural expression. Cultural translation requires more than literal language conversion—it must convey the product's cultural traditions and socio-historical context. Developers should review and adjust content to align with regional cultural backgrounds and aesthetic standards while maintaining cultural confidence and preserving unique Chinese expressions. For example, the English version translates "中国龙" as "Loong" rather than "Dragon," demonstrating "a focus on Chinese discourse and narrative" and "greater cultural confidence among the new generation of game developers" [17].

3.2.3 Emphasize Social Interaction and Community Building

Black Myth: Wukong contains dense Chinese cultural elements where even simple Chinese characters have historical origins, challenging both foreign and domestic players. Many overseas players began intensive Journey to the West study, with millions watching classic TV adaptations together in livestreams. Fans spontaneously interpret game settings and share techniques, mutually supplementing knowledge. To address comprehension barriers, developers should encourage team play, enhance social interaction, establish in-game communication platforms, and build dedicated communities for sharing experiences and cultural insights. For instance, Justice Online's social system allows players to build homes and invite others, strengthening user stickiness while deepening cultural understanding.

3.2.4 Cross-Cultural Adaptation and Cultural Confidence

While maintaining Chinese cultural characteristics, developers can appropriately integrate target market cultural elements to ensure economic viability and broader acceptance. For example, Knives Out launched a "Sakura Season" event in Japan that proved popular. Honor of Kings redesigned hero images and skills for Western markets to attract players. However, cultural confidence must be preserved—developers cannot blindly cater to player interests at the expense of cultural essence [18].

3.2.5 Policy Guidance and Support

The government should continue strengthening support for Chinese cultural games through funding subsidies, tax incentives, and other measures. The industry must also adapt by establishing new norms and standards to ensure content quality and cultural accuracy, preventing vulgar, violent, or other inappropriate content.

In conclusion, inheriting and developing excellent Chinese traditional culture has become industry consensus. Through creative transformation and innovative development, games can effectively promote Chinese culture globally, helping more people understand and appreciate it. Through research, development, and operation, games can embody Chinese aesthetic values, disseminate traditional cultural knowledge, tell Chinese stories well, and showcase the spirit of Chinese culture.

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Author Biographies:
Li Xiaoqin (1982—), female, Mongolian ethnicity, from Qitai, Xinjiang, Associate Professor and Master's Supervisor at Kashi University School of Journalism and Communication, research direction: new media communication.
Qiu Xia (1997—), female, Han ethnicity, from Qianwei County, Sichuan, Master's student in Journalism and Communication, Class of 2023, Kashi University School of Journalism and Communication.

(Editor: Chen Xuguan)