Highly anticipated Black Myth: Wukong among China’s latest batch of approved video games

NetEase had one new title approved, while Tencent Holdings, the country’s largest video game operator by revenue, received no approvals this time.

Black Myth: Wukong, an action role-playing game developed by Hangzhou-based studio Game Science, is one of the most awaited titles by Chinese gamers. First announced in 2020, the game’s 13-minute demo reel drew fanfare for its impressive gameplay and high visual fidelity.

The game will launch on personal computers in August, followed by consoles on a date that is yet to be determined, according to the website of developer Game Science.

On Tuesday, Black Myth: Wukong was one of the top trending searches on Chinese social media platform Weibo, as users celebrated the approval. But some gamers also expressed concerns that the domestic version might be censored, depriving it of mythical or gory elements.

The latest approvals gave the industry another boost as Chinese authorities try to shore up confidence in the video gaming market, which suffered a major blow in December from a draft regulation that aimed to curb “excessive” playing and spending.