Is China's Monkey King set for global game glory, despite cultural differences?

The action role-playing game has topped US distributor Steam's "wish list" chart and is enjoying strong pre-orders, with developer Game Science banking on the enduring appeal of its iconic hero, combined with the newest top-tier mechanics.

The game is the latest iteration of the Ming dynasty story of Sun Wukong, which has been repeatedly adapted for film and television - most recently in the Netflix animation The Monkey King (2023) and Disney+ series American Born Chinese (2023).

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Hangzhou-based Game Science spent six years developing the game, which is the first in China to bear the industry's informal triple-A classification, signifying a large-budget, high-profile game produced and distributed by well-known publishers.

Not all of the interest in the game has been positive, with some misgivings expressed at gaming interest website IGN over claims of a misogynistic workplace culture and a demo version's lack of female characters.

The site's recent review of the game was largely flattering, calling it "stunningly gorgeous", "incredibly fluid" and "immensely satisfying". There will be women in the final game, it added.

But despite these concerns, the indications are that the gamified Wukong, also known as the Monkey King - with his trademark fighting staff and ability to transform into different beings and creatures - will once again transcend cultural barriers.

Sheng Zou, an assistant journalism professor with Baptist University in Hong Kong, said that while reusing the classic could "trigger fatigue", when done well the familiar stories and characters can be leveraged to draw in a larger audience.

"Each rendition of the character breathes new life into it, and there is much space for retelling the old story and recreating the classic persona," Zou said.

"This is certainly the case for Black Myth: Wukong, which makes use of the original classic by infusing new musical arrangement, new action scenes and new storylines."

A scene from the 2023 Netflix production of The Monkey King. Photo: Netflix alt=A scene from the 2023 Netflix production of The Monkey King. Photo: Netflix>

Zhang Chi, an associate lecturer in international relations at the University of St Andrews in Scotland, said the combination of cutting-edge graphics with an ancient icon offered a fresh, visually stunning experience of a classic tale.

"There is no limit to how much a literary classic can be reimagined in media; these works are a reservoir of continuous inspiration, allowing contemporary creators to reinterpret and reconstruct mythology endlessly," she said.

Zou noted that there had also been a "long tradition" of incorporating elements of wuxia, or the legends and mythologies of ancient martial artists, into Chinese games, with some developers counting on the genre's steady popularity to "mitigate the uncertainty in returns".

But as Chinese creations become globalised, it remains to be seen whether home-grown developers will continue to exploit facets of "Chineseness" in their creative process, according to Zou.

"It is more about how they can sell a story or idea to users who crave interesting storylines, riveting aesthetics, and/or fulfilling experiences. Often, you find Chinese-made media products hybridised with both local and global elements and flavours."

As Chinese game developers increasingly explore overseas markets, they must also confront diverse cultural elements, from content to workplace culture, which some say has been very male-dominated in China, until recently.

According to Zou, it has become harder for developers to neglect their audiences' "heightened awareness" of matters concerning gender and sexuality, as "more progressive views" are adopted worldwide.

The "increasing presence [of female gamers] requires game developers to be more conscious about different audiences in their design process, as well as the cultural - rather than simply technical - dimensions of the games", he said.

Hong Kong actor Daniel Wu Neh-tsu as Sun Wukong, also known as the Monkey King, in the 2023 film American Born Chinese. Photo: Disney+ alt=Hong Kong actor Daniel Wu Neh-tsu as Sun Wukong, also known as the Monkey King, in the 2023 film American Born Chinese. Photo: Disney+>

Zhang, who researches propaganda, noted that it would be in Chinese game developers' economic interests to "be sensitive to liberal values" and align their products with "globally accepted norms".

"However, in China, the industry has generally resisted 'political correctness', particularly regarding race and gender, as these issues are not traditionally predominant in public discourse," she said, noting China's "entrenched traditional gender norms".

In today's highly politicised climate, the fact that there were no overtly political elements or messaging inside Wukong may have counted towards its success overseas, Zhang said.

"Chinese culture is generally well-received in Western markets as long as it is not perceived as propaganda. There is no essential 'guarantee' for winning appeal. Success depends on the nuanced presentation of cultural elements."

Cao Xuenan, assistant professor of cultural studies at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, said that games and other products from China were not unique in facing criticisms that stemmed from a mismatch with US mainstream or "progressive" cultural values.

According to Cao, music from European states like Serbia and the Czech Republic have also been accused of being "insensitive".

"It's very interesting to see how these criticisms are applied to productions that were probably intended for a global audience, which includes everywhere. It's not really targeting just the US, which focuses a lot on political correctness, or Europe, so it could be a very successful story in many other places."

Those criticisms stem from the "cultural hegemony of [political standards]" from American or European societies, she said.

Cao noted that games are developed to appeal to young people, "so perhaps [developers] are not really thinking about political correctness as a whole category".

Like all creative output, there will be times when an interpretation of a Chinese classic is not understood completely across a range of cultural contexts, and that may not be a bad thing, according to Cao.

"Sometimes cultural misinterpretations are bound to happen, and that's what makes things interesting."

This approach, intentional or not, has won the hearts of many, judging by the rave reviews for Wukong on the top gaming websites.

Video Games Chronicle called it "frantic, hard as nails and visually stunning", while GamesRadar writer Austin Wood said it was "easily among the best and best-looking action [role-playing games] I've played in years".

This article originally appeared in the South China Morning Post (SCMP), the most authoritative voice reporting on China and Asia for more than a century. For more SCMP stories, please explore the SCMP app or visit the SCMP's Facebook and Twitter pages. Copyright © 2024 South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved.

Copyright (c) 2024. South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved.