Black Myth: Wukong SocialPeta Review and Player Count

Black Myth: Wukong SocialPeta Review! Player Count!

From 600K to 2.4M: How "Black Myth: Wukong" Is Redefining Journey to the West

On August 20, after four years of eager anticipation, players around the world finally grabbed the Jingu Bang and set out on a new Journey to the West. This time, though, the mission isn't to reach the Western Heaven, but instead to send every "demon and monster" there.

[caption id="attachment_69982" align="aligncenter" width="1600"] According to media reviews, the game has received remarkably high scores.[/caption]

According to SocialPeta's own review, the game earned a solid 9.5 out of 10! "Black Myth: Wukong" is an epic masterpiece worth playing once in a lifetime.

The game's visuals are stunning, with a unique art style. Many scenes are so breathtaking they could easily double as desktop wallpapers. The story is just as compelling, though we'll avoid spoilers here. With multiple endings, the game encourages players to replay it several times to uncover its hidden elements.

One standout feature is the standalone animation at the end of each chapter. These animations bring to mind the acclaimed Chinese animated series "Chinese Folktales," which came out in January 2023. The game's score is equally impressive, with a new arrangement of "Immortal Sound Above Cloud Palace" and the upcoming track "Rebirth Mantra" proving quite memorable.

As for why we docked 0.5 points: while "Black Myth: Wukong" excels in many areas, Game Science's heavy focus on visual presentation has led to some drawbacks. Some map designs feel a bit empty, and the lack of a minimap — especially in the forest — can make it easy for first-time players to get lost. Invisible walls also work against immersion, since the game's realistic visuals can make certain areas look accessible when they're not, leaving players blocked.

Still, these are minor flaws compared to the game's outstanding art, compelling story, and demanding combat system. Considering that Game Science is a relatively young development studio that hasn't even been in the industry for a decade, we're confident these issues will be addressed in future updates. So as the game continues to evolve, future players can expect an even more polished experience.

[caption id="attachment_69983" align="aligncenter" width="469"] Game Science co-founder Yang Qi also posted on Weibo, stating that they would quickly optimize the game's issues.[/caption]

"Black Myth: Wukong" Hit a Marketing and Promotion Peak

On August 6, "Black Myth: Wukong"'s official account humorously admitted, in its latest trailer, that they hadn't entirely skipped the promotion. As the release date approached, "Black Myth: Wukong" launched a targeted wave of ads overseas.

[caption id="attachment_69984" align="aligncenter" width="452"] Image Source: Black Myth: Wukong Bilibili post[/caption]

As of today, SocialPeta has tracked a total of 310 overseas ads for "Black Myth: Wukong." Marketing efforts were concentrated mainly on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. The first ad ran on May 28. The highest ad volumes targeted the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom.

The game's trailer dropped on May 19, and the official release date was August 20. Pre-orders began on June 8, and the busiest ad activity took place between May 27 and June 1, right before the pre-order launch. During this period, SocialPeta tracked more than 160 unique ad creatives in a single day. Then, around June 25, the game went quiet on the promotional front as it prepared for its official launch.

Promotion picked back up in August and continued through the game's release, intensifying again from August 8 onward. Ad creatives were concentrated on Facebook and Instagram and peaked at 116 ads on August 19, the day before the official release.

August's most popular ad creative featured a montage of the Monkey King running to a fast-paced drumbeat. The rapid scene cuts and boss-perspective transitions perfectly captured the high expectations for the game.

[caption id="attachment_69987" align="aligncenter" width="431"] Ad Channel: Instagram Estimated Impressions: 112,000 Duration: 14 days[/caption]

Beyond its cultural impact, "Wukong" has also proven its commercial value.

On August 19, the "Black Myth Cloud Americano," a collaboration between "Black Myth: Wukong" and Luckin Coffee, launched and sold out almost immediately, pushing the ordering system to the brink of crashing.

On August 20, the start of "Black Myth: Wukong"'s pre-orders sent the stock prices of related companies climbing significantly. Huayi Brothers, a major shareholder of Hero Entertainment and one of Game Science's early investors, saw its stock price rise 19% that day, and 43% overall since pre-orders began. Zhejiang Publishing, responsible for content review, rose 10%, while CITIC Publishing, which helped publish the game's art book, rose 20%.

Shanxi Expressway's stock even hit its daily limit. This surge is linked to the fact that 27 of the 36 filming locations for "Black Myth: Wukong" across China are in Shanxi. Since these locations are widely scattered, a trip through Shanxi has become a popular choice for those wanting to experience the iconic statues and murals featured in the game. A must-visit spot on my travel list is Little Western Heaven, located in Linfen, Shanxi.

[caption id="attachment_69989" align="aligncenter" width="497"] Little Western Heaven in Xixian County, Linfen, Shanxi. Image source: Internet[/caption]

From 600,000 to Over 2 Million: "Black Myth" Is Rising

As of today, "Black Myth: Wukong" has reached a peak of over 2.4 million concurrent players, making it the highest-ranked single-player game in the world. Across all categories, it ranks second.

[caption id="attachment_69990" align="aligncenter" width="951"] Screenshot source: SteamDB[/caption]

However, three years later, in 2007, he published an article titled "Who Murdered Our Games," criticizing how capital was distorting the game industry. In 2008, Feng Ji joined Tencent, and in 2010, the MMO action game Asura (斗战神), for which he was lead designer, officially launched. During its open beta in 2013, the game drew up to 600,000 concurrent players thanks to its compelling story and excellent character design.

However, as an MMO product, Asura's monetization fell short of expectations. Feng Ji eventually left Tencent to found Game Science. In 2018, the company officially began development on "Black Myth: Wukong." In 2020, Game Science released the game's first trailer, which garnered more than 57 million views, 3 million likes, and over 1 million bookmarks, quickly becoming a hot topic in the gaming community.

From 2013 to 2024, from "World of Warcraft" to "Wukong": this journey from 600,000 to over 2 million has been extraordinary.

That wraps up our Black Myth: Wukong SocialPeta review. For the latest news, make sure to follow our Gamer Papers website and our social media accounts.