The runaway success of Wukong and the symbolic opportunities it brings

If you’re not a gamer, it’s easy not to get excited about new computer game launches. Nevertheless, it is worth paying attention to China’s gaming industry, as a fair portion of your target audience are likely to spend a lot of their day gaming.

Around half of China’s population play computer games. Of those, almost 50% are female, and more than a quarter are over 36 years old. For most Chinese, it is pure entertainment, but it also doubles as escapism, a form of socialisation, and a source of national pride, evident from the unusual fan celebrations every time Chinese gamers claim a world title.

Despite its already hefty scale, China’s gaming industry rose to another level last week, with the launch of Black Myth: Wukong. It is China’s first AAA game – the gaming world’s equivalent of a blockbuster movie, driven by a large development and marketing budget.

The game broke all sorts of records, from the unprecedented 2.2 million concurrent players on Steam, to the bandwidth usage from people playing. Within a day of launching, total sales exceeded 4.5 million copies and ¥1.5 billion ($210 million), recouping its development costs on the day of its release.

The success of Wukong spans far broader than its sales and player numbers. The game follows an in-depth adaptation of "Journey to the West," a 16th-century novel rooted in traditional Chinese mythology. It is symbolic of China’s growing capability to deliver high quality cultural and entertainment products which connect with a nuanced and sophisticated Chinese consumer, as well as many consumers abroad.

Like many successful cultural products in China, Wukong’s influence is permeating across other categories. In addition to the unsurprising spike in game console sales, the game has ignited a burst of tourism to Shanxi Province. Shanxi is home to three quarters of the 36 scenic spots filmed for the game, including UNESCO-listed Tang dynasty temples and grottoes. Trip.com and Fliggy have seen bookings to the region climb as much as 70% this summer. Booking of eSport hotels across China, which offer beds and computers with graphic cards that the Wukong game requires, have also spiked.

With your marketing hat on, the runaway success of Wukong presents many opportunities and lessons. Gaming collabs have long been strategies to increase sales, reach large niches, and build positive brand associations with brands from KFC and McDonalds, to Unilever’s ice creams and MAC lipstick. Many brands have also gamified their campaigns to increase engagement, virality and a bit of healthy competition between friends and colleagues.

The success of Wukong is also another reminder of the resonance of thoughtful interpretations of Chinese folklore and mythology, for Chinese consumers hungry to connect further with their country’s long and rich history. This is much less straightforward for a foreign brand than slapping a few gaming characters on your packaging. But it can be done, and done well, can really show Chinese consumers that you understand them and are relevant to what they value in a brand. China Skinny can work with you on thoughtful approaches. Get in touch to learn how we can assist your brand.