Almost 1 year ago to the day, Black Myth: Wukong wowed the world with its release. The previously little-known studio, Game Science, created what was called the first Chinese AAA game. It became a viral and social phenomenon in China, prompting some controversial discourse, such as claims that it showed the true extent of “male buying power”.
Game Science raised quite a few eyebrows at Gamescom in Cologne when they showed a 2-minute teaser for their next release. It is not a DLC (downloadable content, similar to an expansion pack) for Wukong, nor is it a direct sequel, but a brand-new entry to the Black Myth series: Black Myth: Zhong Kui. The teaser features Zhong, a Taoist deity and vanquisher of ghosts, riding a tiger while commanding his army of demons.
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Since Wukong’s release, it was widely speculated that there would be a DLC. The announcement almost certainly means we won’t see a Wukong DLC in the foreseeable future, with some pundits predicting no new Wukong content until a full sequel. Understandably, the teaser caused some backlash among Wukong fans. Feng Ji and Yang Qi, the studio’s co-founders, published long posts explaining their desire to create something new. The new game will have fresh mechanics and stories. However, with Zhong Kui being a lesser-known character both at home and abroad compared to Wukong, the game will likely be a test of both the Black Myth brand and Game Science itself.
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