From Myth to Market: Lessons from Black Myth: Wukong's Success

Abstract

The release of Black Myth: Wukong (BMW) in August 2024 marked a watershed ✘ ✙✘ ✚✛ ✜ ✢ ✙ ✣ ✤ ✥✦ ✛ ✧ ★✩ ✪ ✧ ✘✚ ✦ ✛ ✫✬ ✩ ✜✣ ✭✮ ✯✛✩ ✰ ✦ ✣ ✚✫ ✱ ✭ ✜ ✥✚ ✲✳ ✧✩✩ ✦✲ ✤ ✥✦ ✛✚✩ ✚ ✛ ✙ ✴✚ ✳Journey to the West, the game achieved remarkable success, selling 10 million copies and earning $450 million in revenue within its first three days. This unprecedented market performance, coupled with critical acclaim, also drove increased cultural tourism, underscoring the complex ways in which cultural authenticity, narrative design, and advanced technologies c ✧ ✛ ✣✚✩✙ ✛ ✧ ✜ ✚ ✪✳✙ ✱ ✧ ✳ ✳ ✭ ✮ ✵ ✥✦ ✩ ✰ ✧✰✚ ✣ ✚ ✶ ✧ ✘ ✦✛ ✚✩ ✷✸ ✹ ★✩ ✩✬✲✲✚✩✩ through four interwoven theoretical lenses ✺representation theory, cultural hybridity, procedural rhetoric, and ludonarrative resonance ✺to elucidate how cultural authenticity and global game conventions converge in shaping player experiences and broader socio- ✚✲✙✛✙ ✘ ✦✲ ✦ ✘ ✰ ✧✲ ✜ ✩ ✮ ✷ ✭ ✧ ✛ ✧✳ ✭ ✻ ✦ ✛✪ ✷✸ ✹ ★ ✩ ✲✬ ✳ ✜ ✬ ✣ ✧✳ representation, technological innovation, and market as well as social outcomes, this study contributes to ongoing discussions about how culturally enriched games can reshape global perceptions of local traditions, stimulate economic growth, and encourage meaningful cross-cultural dialogue.