By Louise Blas - Loading & Prospective Watch in Plaine Images
Released in August 2024, Black myth: Wukong surprised the industry and reinforced the place of Chinese productions on the world scene. Developed by Game Science , this triple was inspired by the novel La Pérégrination to the west has totaled 10 million copies sold in three days, validating the status of China as a key player in the sector.
Traditionally suspicious of video games, the Chinese government has radically changed speeches in the face of this unexpected success. State media, such as CCTV and Xinhua , for example qualified Black Myth: Wukong as "cultural visa", capable of exporting the Chinese heritage far beyond its borders. Compared to the cultural earthquake that was the South Korean K-Pop a few years ago, the Wukong phenomenon marks a turning point: China now sees this media historically despised as a major lever to establish its cultural influence.
Video games as a cultural weapon
This success contrasts with Chinese mobile titles, often criticized for their economic model based on microtransactions. For its part, Wukong is betting on a quality game experience equivalent to that of the big Western and Japanese productions, highlighting a neat narration, a successful gameplay and impressive graphics. Based on a story deeply rooted in Chinese culture, Wukong has thus managed to seduce a global audience while strengthening national pride.
This approach is obviously not exclusive to the Empire in the middle. During the opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympics, the Assassin's Creed franchise also had the right to its moment of exhibition as part of the celebration of the History of France. Like Black Myth: Wukong, the Assassin's Creed perfectly illustrates how a video game can become a cultural weapon, making an entertainment work a powerful vector of soft power.
