"I'm going insane from this Monk Guang Zhi!" This exclamation has gone viral among gamers around the globe. Guang Zhi, an early-game boss at the beginning of the newly released game Black Myth: Wukong, has players everywhere voicing their frustration and awe.

The game's boss battles have been described as "insanely difficult," sparking a heated discussion and elevating the game's popularity to unprecedented levels. As China's first true AAA game, a term that refers to games that are produced with high development costs, long production circles, and significant resource investment, Black Myth: Wukong stands toe-to-toe with Western games in terms of technical quality and holds the current top spot in global sales rankings, marking a significant breakthrough for China's games in the high-end sector.

Behind the scenes: A struggle and industry breakthrough

Black Myth: Wukong is not only a shining light for China's games, but represents a milestone in the international reach of Chinese gaming culture. It has showcased the immense potential of Chinese developers in both technology and creativity, fundamentally changing the traditional perceptions of local games.

The success of Black Myth: Wukong is backed by an inspiring story of perseverance. The game was developed over six and a half years, while its producer, Feng Ji, founder and CEO of Game Science Studio, drew on nearly two decades of experience. In the early stages, the development team, driven by sheer enthusiasm, suffered staffing shortages and numerous hurdles. Feng has shared that this journey was filled with tears, setbacks, and moments of doubt. Yet, the team's resilience and passion ultimately brought this ambitious project to fruition.

Before the launch of Black Myth: Wukong, China's games like Gu Jian 3 and Shen Wu Fantasy were also highly anticipated to make a mark as AAA titles. Despite similar investments in development, these games often struggled to gain tremendous acclaim.

However, Black Myth: Wukong has not only earned respect from players and industry insiders, but has also ignited a wave of inspiration among talented creative teams. This game marks a breakthrough for the Chinese gaming industry and affirms a shift towards high-quality gaming. As players humorously put it, "It's like a village finally producing a college graduate after all these years."

The fusion of technology and story

A great game inevitably relies on advanced technology.

In terms of technological innovation, Black Myth: Wukong has achieved notable breakthroughs. The game utilizes Unreal Engine 5 and integrates ray tracing and global illumination technologies to create a visually unprecedented world. The development team employed a range of sophisticated tools for character modeling, including Autodesk Maya, Autodesk 3ds Max, Blender for detailed modeling, and Substance Painter for high-quality textures. Marvelous Designer was employed to design and simulate character clothing, ensuring each garment moves naturally.

Dynamic effects are enhanced through Unreal Engine 5's Groom system, which achieves lifelike hair rendering and boosts immersion. The team combined real-world scanning with the Nanite virtualized geometry system and used the Lumen full dynamic global illumination system for realistic lighting and shadow effects. Motion capture technology has advanced with motion matching and facial capture techniques, which create fluid and natural motion transitions.

However, the technology in Black Myth: Wukong is more than just a technological achievement; it is a tool for storytelling and emotional engagement. Every exquisite scene and flashy action are designed to further the narrative and shape the characters. This immersive experience offers players visual and interactive pleasure and an engaging experience with the story; players feel as though they are "living with the characters."

Innovative development strategy

Major game companies usually adopt "agile development" and "incremental updates" models. These models enable continuous adjustments to product direction, quick fixes, and the addition of new content through rapid iterations for adaptation to market demands and user preferences. For example, after the release of Genshin Impact, miHoYo attracted and retained players by regularly introducing new maps, characters, and storylines. This approach created a content-driven long-term operation model. However, the frequent updates can sometimes lead to fluctuations in product quality and the risks of rushed, incomplete content being delivered.

In contrast, Game Science has taken a different strategy. As a small independent studio, Game Science is free from the limitations of large companies, making it possible to focus resources on core objectives. They chose a longer development cycle and dedicated seven years to the optimization of almost every aspect of visual performance, including environment rendering, character modeling, and lighting effects. The aim was to ensure every detail met high expectations.

The success of Black Myth: Wukong is not only a milestone for the Chinese game industry but also a testament to China's growing technological innovation. Game Science has indicated its intention to explore the boundaries of technology and culture, with plans to deliver to global players more top-tier games with Chinese characteristics.