Black Myth: Wukong empowered fellow soulslike devs to become China's first "elite" devs on par with Naughty Dog or Capcom: "The market has been validated"

Snow falls as guards in armor and red highlights wait in Wuchang: Fallen Feathers — (Image credit: 505 Games)

The Chinese games industry has blown up in the 2020s, with games like Genshin Impact, Infinity Nikki, and Zenless Zone Zero taking the world (and our wallets) by storm. However, last year’s launch of Black Myth: Wukong was a watershed moment for the industry, as it was released to significant acclaim, breaking sales records and picking up Ultimate Game of the Year at the 2024 Golden Joystick Awards.

This success has emboldened other developers, with Wuchang: Fallen Feathers studio Leenzee looking to move past the free-to-play mobile game hits and create a Wukong-level blockbuster of its own.

Speaking to Edge Magazine, Lenzee’s Xia Siyuan spoke of breaking away from the mobile gacha and free-to-play titles that have made China’s games industry such a powerhouse in recent years. When reflecting on the company being founded in 2016, Xia said, “At the time, there was no such unicorn [in China],” adding, “No Capcom, Naughty Dog, or Square Enix – so we think there’s definitely a great potential for us to be the very few in that elite.”

However, the other side of the coin with Wukong’s success is that it will undoubtedly put a lot of pressure on studios to deliver something just as grand - or at least you would think that would be the case. Xia said, "It's not so much a pressure - it actually gives a lot of positive signs and a lot of confidence in our future. This market has been validated, so it's not about how many competitors we have, but how collectively we are making this system better so that everyone can benefit. More importantly, for us internally, it proves 110% that it was the right decision to start Wuchang, and that it's on the right track."

If you’re looking for a lengthy adventure to stick your teeth into while you wait for Wuchang: Fallen Feathers, check out our list of the best RPGs you can play right now.