What you need to know
- The long-awaited action RPG Black Myth: Wukong released this week, and has already managed to achieve a concurrent player count of well over 2 million on Steam.
- Specifically, the game’s record is 2,358,580 players, which makes it the second most-played game in Steam history. It’s taken that title from January’s Palworld, and is only superseded by PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS’ 3,257,248 concurrent player count record.
- Hype for Black Myth has been steadily growing since it was announced in 2020, with fans enamored with its spectacle-heavy boss fights and combat mechanics.
- Its ties to the classical novel Journey to the West and Chinese mythology have also drawn lots of interest from the Chinese gaming market, which is expected to swell to 730 million players by 2027.
As someone who has been following the gaming industry for decades, I must admit that I was utterly astounded by the unprecedented success of Black Myth: Wukong. With over 2 million players concurrently embarking on their Journey to the West within just two days of its release, it’s safe to say that this action RPG has catapulted itself into the history books.
I knew Game Science’s highly anticipated single player action RPG Black Myth: Wukong was going to be one of this year’s most popular games, but I wasn’t expecting it to have what will likely be 2024’s largest launches, as well as one of the biggest debuts in gaming history. And yet, two days after its release, here we are, with the title hitting a peak player count of well over 2 million on Valve’s PC gaming platform Steam. Specifically, as SteamDB data shows, it’s reached a colossal zenith of 2,358,580 players.
Black Myth: Wukong’s peak surpasses that of Palworld, a popular game launched this year on Windows PC, Xbox, and Xbox Game Pass by about 250,000. Additionally, it has outperformed games such as Counter-Strike 2, Lost Ark, and Cyberpunk 2077 in terms of concurrent players, currently ranking as the second most played game on Steam simultaneously, trailing only behind PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS, which boasted a record-breaking 3.26 million players at its peak popularity in 2018.
As I pen this down on a Wednesday afternoon, approximately 1.8 million gamers are setting off on their westward adventure, and that number doesn’t include fans from Epic Games Store, WeGame, and PlayStation 5. Whether Black Myth: Wukong will surpass its initial day sales record is yet to be determined, but considering we’re nearing the weekend, it seems plausible.
Black Myth: Wukong has reached unprecedented heights, a feat that might not have been anticipated given its status as an ARPG, but considering the buzz surrounding it, it was bound to be a major hit. For months prior to its release, it held the title of the most-anticipated game on Steam. The excitement for this game has been growing steadily for several years now, ever since its unveiling four years ago in 2020. Since then, it’s been a hot topic among gamers worldwide.
Among Black Myth’s standout features are its visually stunning and cinematic boss battles, which are a visual feast and offer an unprecedented audiovisual experience. These epic encounters, combined with the game’s top-notch combat system, have generated considerable excitement among players, as I noted in my review – they are undoubtedly one of the game’s most captivating aspects.
Without a doubt, one significant reason for the game’s explosive debut was its allure for Chinese gamers – a market expected to grow to 730 million by 2027. Given that Black Myth: Wukong is rooted in the ancient novel Journey to the West and rich Chinese mythology, it’s not surprising at all that it’s drawing in these players.
It’s worth noting that Black Myth: Wukong has been positively received by both critics and players. On Metacritic, it scores 80 out of 100, based on 47 positive reviews. Similarly, on Steam, it boasts an “Overwhelmingly Positive” rating, with over 96% of the more than 200,000 user reviews praising the game. Despite giving it a 3.5 out of 5 due to concerns about its level design, enemy variety, and gear progression, I concur with the overall sentiment that it’s a solid game.
It’s uncertain whether the game will set the record for the best launch of 2024 or not, but from my perspective, nothing else seems likely to surpass it. If something does manage to outshine it, though, that wouldn’t diminish the fact that its achievements so far are incredibly impressive and remarkable.
2024 might see Black Myth: Wukong as one of the standout games, potentially ranking among the top PC titles and Xbox games (if it ever arrives on Xbox consoles). At present, it’s available on Steam, Epic Games Store, WeGame, and PS5 for a price tag of $59.99.
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2024-08-21 21:39