Black Myth Wukong: How Daniel Wu's Startup Created China's Most Successful Game Of All Time
Black Myth: Wukong developer Hero Games, however, faces its hurdles. Despite the win, the company isn’t yet profitable, as it shifts from publishing to in-house game development.
Black Myth: Wukong has sold an impressive 18 million copies within just two weeks of its launch - a groundbreaking achievement in the Chinese gaming industry, setting a blazing pace and capturing global attention. This record-breaking start has catapulted both the game and its early investor, Hero Games, into the industry spotlight. As chronicled by Bloomberg, the journey began as a leap of faith for Hero Games founder Daniel Wu, who invested in the game’s developer, Game Science, even when success was far from certain.
How Did Daniel Wu's Journey Begin?
Wu's company provided substantial funding over a six-year development period, committing over $70 million—a significant investment for a Chinese game. Despite previous setbacks with smaller projects, this high-stakes gamble appears to have paid off, potentially setting Black Myth: Wukong on a trajectory to reach 30 million lifetime sales, with a future expansion in the works, according to Wu in a Bloomberg interview.
The game, an action-packed retelling of the classic Monkey King legend, has surpassed initial sales of iconic titles like Elden Ring and Zelda. Wu, who left a career in venture capital to focus on game development nearly a decade ago, describes Wukong as more than just a commercial triumph. Alongside Game Science co-founder Feng Ji, Wu aimed to create a premium console and PC title that would showcase China’s cultural heritage on a global stage, competing with Western gaming giants.
Staggering Sales
Black Myth: Wukong’s initial sales have been staggering, even rivalling early figures for Cyberpunk 2077. Analysts estimate the game has brought in around $700 million so far, with a promising outlook for increased overseas sales as its reputation grows. This financial success was fueled in part by state media endorsements that praised its accurate portrayal of Chinese history and cultural landmarks.
Hero Games’ 20 per cent stake in Game Science, valued at just 60 million yuan ($8.5 million) in 2017, has since grown to several billion yuan, according to Wu. The success comes despite past challenges: Hero’s previous projects with Game Science, such as Art of War: Red Tides, struggled to find a lasting audience, even with prominent placement on Apple’s App Store. Yet Wu remained committed, investing further in Game Science when Feng reached out in 2018 for funding on an ambitious new project then codenamed Black Myth One.
Spark For More Succesful Chinese Games
For Wu, this accomplishment signifies a major milestone not only for Hero Games but for China’s burgeoning gaming industry as a whole. He envisions Wukong as a spark for more games that celebrate Chinese folklore and mythology on an international scale.
An expansion for Black Myth: Wukong is already in development, allowing Hero Games to build on the game’s success without a six-year development timeline. Wu believes the expansion could drive additional sales, similar to the success seen with Elden Ring’s recent Shadow of the Erdtree expansion.
Hero Games, however, faces its hurdles. Despite the win with Wukong, the company isn’t yet profitable, as it shifts from publishing to in-house game development. The company has navigated criticism over certain marketing practices but remains focused on long-term growth.
Wu’s dedication to the project is deeply personal. After experiencing one of Wukong's challenging battles, he sent an emotional message to Feng, a testament to the sense of accomplishment shared by the two co-creators. As China’s gaming industry faces a tough economic environment, Wu’s message to his team is clear: resilience in the face of setbacks can lead to transformative success, just as it did with Black Myth: Wukong.
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