Black Myth: Wukong
Chinese action-RPG (Game Science, Aug 20, 2024 PS5/PC; Xbox 2025) based on Ming novel 'Journey to the West'. Player is 'Destined One' fighting Yaoguai across mythic Chinese chapters. 20M+ units first month — best-selling PS5 game of 2024 in some regions; 3M+ concurrent Steam peak.
What is Black Myth: Wukong?
Black Myth: Wukong is a single-player action-RPG developed + published by Chinese studio Game Science, released August 20, 2024 for PS5 + PC (Steam/Epic). Xbox Series X/S delayed to 2025. Directed by Feng Ji, based on the 16th-century Ming-dynasty novel 'Journey to the West' by Wu Cheng'en — specifically re-imagining Sun Wukong's story after the original novel's ending. Player controls 'the Destined One' (a monkey pilgrim), searching for six relics of Sun Wukong scattered across mythical China. Combat is action-RPG in Souls-adjacent style — combos, dodges, staff-based moveset with three stances (Smash, Pillar, Thrust), transformations into slain Yaoguai (demons/spirits), and Spells (Immobilise, Cloud Step, Body-Off, Rock Solid). Six-chapter campaign spanning Black Wind Mountain, Yellow Wind Ridge, Small Western Heaven, Webbed Hollow, Bishui Cave, Mount Huaguo. Cutting-edge Unreal Engine 5 (Lumen + Nanite) visuals. 10M+ units first three days; 20M+ within first month — a landmark for Chinese AAA. Peak 3M+ concurrent Steam players. Praised for atmosphere, boss design, cultural depth; criticised for pacing + camera. Named 2024 Game of the Year at 2024 Steam Awards + several player-voted awards.
Quick facts
Category
Video Games
Type
Individual
Players
1–1
Duration
~60 min
Where played
indoor
Country of origin
🇨🇳 China
Estimated origin
Released Aug 20, 2024 for PS5 + PC; Xbox 2025
Olympic
No
Popularity
major
How it works
Objective
Retrieve the six relics of Sun Wukong; defeat all Yaoguai bosses; face the final trial and unlock true ending.
Match structure
Single-player 6-chapter action-RPG; each chapter has hub area + optional bosses + main path culminating in chapter boss.
Rules
Basic rules
Souls-adjacent action combat
Dodge, light/heavy attacks, focus points, staff stance switching.
Three staff stances
Smash (chargeable overhead), Pillar (defensive stance), Thrust (long-range poke).
Transformations + Spells
Kill certain Yaoguai to unlock transformations; equip up to 4 Spells (Immobilise, Cloud Step, Body-Off, Rock Solid).
Advanced rules
Focus points + heavy attacks
Landing hits builds Focus (1-4 points); spend Focus for chargeable heavy attacks.
Secret bosses + true ending
Optional bosses unlock in each chapter; defeating specific hidden bosses unlocks the extended true ending in Chapter 6.
Vessels + Gourds + Curios
Passive gear slots — Vessels grant special abilities, Gourds are healing flasks, Curios provide stat bonuses.
Scoring
Chapter completion + all bosses + secret bosses + true ending.
| Action | Points |
|---|---|
| Boss defeat | Xiangyou (currency) + item drops + progression |
Win condition · Complete Chapter 6 for standard ending; complete all secret bosses + Chapter 6 hidden path for true ending. 100% = all Spells + all Transformations + all bosses.
Equipment
PS5, PC (Steam/Epic), Xbox Series (2025)
Multi-platform release; Xbox delayed to 2025.
Standard controller or M+KB (PC)
Full controller support recommended.
Positions & roles
The Destined One (monkey pilgrim)
×1Sole playable character; wields staff of Ruyi Jingu Bang lineage.
Officiating
Single-player only.
- Speedrun.com moderators
Penalties & fouls
Penalties
Death
Respawn at last Shrine (bonfire equivalent); enemies respawn; lose no permanent progress but must recover to boss.
Missed hidden path
Some optional bosses/paths only accessible during specific chapter windows — miss window, must NG+ to retry.
Strategies
Smash stance boss burst
Charge Smash stance to 4-hit combo when boss opens up — Focus-spent heavy hits melt Yaoguai health bars.
Immobilise + Rock Solid combo
Cast Immobilise to freeze boss, then Rock Solid stance for parry-safe burst combo.
Cloud Step reposition
Cloud Step creates invisible after-image — use to reposition behind bosses for backstab combos.
Vessel + Curio synergy
Match Vessel special ability to Curio stat bonuses (e.g., Wandering Wight Vessel + Focus-heavy Curios).
Terminology
- Yaoguai
- Chinese mythological demons/spirits/monsters (main enemies)
- Xiangyou
- In-game currency (also called 'Sparks')
- Shrine
- Save/rest point (bonfire equivalent) — heals, refills Gourd
- Focus
- 1-4 point resource for chargeable heavy attacks
- Spirit
- Transformation form gained from defeating certain bosses
- Destined One
- Player character — successor to Sun Wukong
Major competitions
Speedrun.com Black Myth: Wukong leaderboards
ongoing · global (community) · since 2024
The Game Awards 2024 (Game of the Year nominee)
annual · global (Geoff Keighley) · since 2014
Where it is played
Governing bodies
Game Science
Founded 2014 · Shenzhen, China
Famous names & records
Famous athletes
- Feng Ji (director)
- Yang Qi (art director)
- Community speedrunners establishing Any% + All Bosses leaderboards
Records
20M+ units first month
Game Science — 20 million+ units sold within first month across all platforms — landmark Chinese AAA (2024)
3M+ concurrent Steam peak
Game Science — Peak 3+ million concurrent Steam players — top-3 all-time launch (2024)
First Chinese AAA breakout hit
Game Science — First AAA-scale Chinese-developed game to achieve global commercial + critical success (2024)
Learn this sport
beginner
- 1
Chapter 1 (Black Wind Mountain)
Learn Smash stance + basic dodge + Focus system.
intermediate
- 1
Chapters 2-4 + first Transformations
Master all 3 stances; equip complementary Spells + Transformations.
advanced
- 1
Chapter 6 secret path + NG+ true ending
Find + defeat all hidden bosses each chapter; unlock true ending in Chapter 6 NG+.
Frequently asked
Is Black Myth: Wukong a Souls-like?+
Souls-adjacent — shares dodge-heavy combat, Shrine checkpoints, boss-focused design. Not as unforgiving as FromSoftware games; no stamina bar for attacks (only dodge).
Do I need to know 'Journey to the West' to enjoy the game?+
No — game is a re-imagining/sequel set after the novel's ending. Cultural/mythological references enhance experience but story stands alone. Chapter 1-6 recap Chinese mythology beautifully.
How long is Black Myth: Wukong?+
Main story ~35-45 hours; 100% + secret ending + all bosses ~60-80 hours; NG+ replay another 30-40 hours.
Sources & provenance
- Wikipedia — Black Myth: Wukong— Wikipedia