The Soulslike genre has seen its share of standout titles over the years, but none quite captured the attention of fans with its reveal like Black Myth: Wukong. The upcoming game from developer Game Science was first revealed in 2020 with a trailer of pre-alpha footage that garnered nearly 2 million views on YouTube with its beautiful graphics and intense gameplay. While Black Myth: Wukong has all the elements in place to be the next big entry in the Soulslike genre, it needs to avoid the missteps of the recent Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty if it's going to succeed.
Black Myth: Wukong and Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty share the similarities of being Soulslikes based on Chinese legends, with the former deriving heavy inspiration from the 16th century Chinese novel Journey to the West. Despite these similarities, the games could end up in drastically different positions depending on how well Black Myth: Wukong is able to deliver on its already impressive visuals and gameplay. Otherwise, the game runs the risk of ending up with the same lukewarm reception Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty received and leaving Soulslike fans without a definitive Chinese mythology-inspired game.
Black Myth: Wukong Needs a Different Approach From Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty
Although Team Ninja's previous Soulslikes -- Nioh, its sequel Nioh 2, and Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin -- stood out as solid entries in the genre, Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty failed to capture the same audience as those titles. The game faced a poor marketing campaign coupled with disappointing betas that culminated in a stagnant launch. Players ended up quite divided on the game, as some found it to be a decent Soulslike while others saw it as a shell of what it could have been.
Even with the initial hype behind Black Myth: Wukong after its impressive reveal trailer, the drip feed of information in the time since has really put the game on the back burner. Although it was originally planned for a 2023 release, Game Science has announced Black Myth: Wukong's new release window is set for Summer 2024. While the studio may have seen the reception Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty received and wanted more time to craft a better, alternative experience, a delay like this could end up taking some of the wind out of the game's sails in the long run.
If Black Myth: Wukong is going to succeed where Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty failed, it's going to need a way to set itself a part from Team Ninja's title. The first step is to create a game that gives both newcomers and Souslike veterans a reason to check it out among a rather crowded genre. The graphical appeal that comes from using Unreal Engine 5 can help, but the game shouldn't rely on its visual beauty while neglecting its gameplay if it's going to iterate upon the genre in ways Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty didn't.
The other pillar necessary for success is a solid marketing campaign, one which is more consistent than that of Team Ninja and Koei Tecmo's production. As the Soulslike market becomes more mainstream, it becomes more saturated which requires publishers to really sell players on their games. As such, Black Myth: Wukong needs to come out swinging once a release date is nailed down to ensure the game's marketing is able to reach its intended audience outside of hardcore Soulslike fans. The game has already shown impressive amounts of hype with each new trailer drop, but whether it can translate that same hype into sales come release has yet to be seen.
Black Myth: Wukong releases in Summer 2024 on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S.