Before achieving massive success with Black Myth: Wukong, Daniel Wu, the founder of Hero Games and the largest external shareholder of Game Science, had endured numerous ups and downs with the studio. Through bold decisions and faith in the growth of China’s gaming industry, Wu played a crucial role in turning Black Myth: Wukong into one of the best-selling games worldwide.
Black Myth: Wukong – A Breakthrough Success
As of now, Black Myth: Wukong has sold 18 million copies within just two weeks of its release, marking one of the most impressive launches in the history of the global gaming industry. This not only highlights the game’s massive appeal but also brings in millions of dollars for Hero Games, the largest shareholder of Game Science.
This achievement is the result of a high-risk gamble made by Daniel Wu, who heavily invested in the game based on the classic Journey to the West. With skyrocketing sales and a rapidly expanding player base, Black Myth: Wukong has proven itself to be more than just a form of entertainment, serving as a powerful representation of cultural heritage.
A High-Stakes Gamble
Upon release, Black Myth: Wukong quickly became one of the best-selling titles on Steam, the world’s largest game distribution platform. This led to a wave of excitement that extended beyond just gamers, as the game skillfully blended modern gaming aesthetics with rich cultural heritage.
However, few knew that behind this success was a series of high-stakes decisions made by Daniel Wu and Feng Ji, the founder of Game Science. Both risked everything, fully committing to this project despite the looming possibility of failure.
Daniel Wu co-founded Hero Games in 2015 after leaving ZhenFund, a major Chinese venture capital firm. Coincidentally, this was around the same time Feng Ji left Tencent, where he had led a team of 250 developers to create Asura, a game also inspired by the legendary Journey to the West. While Asura initially garnered significant attention, operational challenges ultimately hindered its long-term success.
Challenging Times
Game Science, based in Shenzhen, was seen by Daniel Wu as a studio with tremendous potential. Yet, success was far from guaranteed. The studio faced repeated setbacks with its mobile game projects, including Art of War: Red Tides, a strategy game that was launched in over 154 countries on Apple’s App Store. Despite a strong player base, the game failed to generate the revenue that Game Science had hoped for.
As the sole investor and publishing partner of Game Science, Hero Games suffered significant losses from these failures. At the same time, Wu’s company was undergoing a lengthy transition from a game publisher to a developer, facing many of the same difficulties that Game Science had experienced.
A Well-Deserved Reward
For Daniel Wu, who left a promising career in finance to fully immerse himself in the gaming industry nearly a decade ago, Black Myth: Wukong represents far more than just a groundbreaking game. After numerous setbacks, Wu and Feng Ji tied their fates to the success of the first AAA (big-budget blockbuster) game to come out of China—a market long dominated by mobile games.
In a bold move, Hero Games contributed a significant portion of the game’s $70 million development budget over six years, an unprecedented effort for a Chinese game project. Initially, the team only hoped for some praise within the gaming community, but the success of the trailer exceeded everyone’s wildest expectations.
With stunning graphics, impressive character design, magical effects, smooth animations, and an incredibly detailed game environment, the trailer quickly garnered over 600,000 views on Black Myth’s YouTube channel, 2.4 million views on IGN, and more than 10 million views on China’s Bilibili platform.
Hero Games seized the momentum with a brilliant marketing campaign, partnering with Luckin Coffee to launch products inspired by the game, which sold out within seconds.
Exceeding All Expectations
Since its release on August 20, Black Myth: Wukong has continued to break records for single-player games, outshining major titles like Cyberpunk 2077. According to analyst Daniel Ahmad from Niko Partners, the game is estimated to have generated around $700 million in revenue, only falling short of the $1 billion mark that the Call of Duty franchise achieved in just 10 days.
What’s even more remarkable is that Black Myth: Wukong has drawn significant interest from international markets. As the game’s global reputation continues to grow, international sales are expected to account for a larger share of its revenue in the future.
Both Hero Games and Game Science are now considered some of China’s most noteworthy startups. The success of Black Myth: Wukong has not only proven that China can produce top-tier games but also that it can create stories rich in cultural heritage that can compete with the best in the West.
Cementing Their Legacy
Daniel Wu has demonstrated that with unwavering determination and the courage to take calculated risks, he could elevate Hero Games and Game Science to new heights. Reflecting on their journey, he remarked: “If you want the truth, Game Science’s success today is built on four consecutive failures. Black Myth: Wukong not only proves we can create top-quality games, but also that we can tell great stories deeply rooted in Chinese culture.”
This is a clear testament to the idea that success is never easy—it requires dedication, patience, and a long-term vision. Black Myth: Wukong has now become a symbol of China’s emerging gaming industry, and Daniel Wu, along with Hero Games, are the biggest winners in this incredible story.
