Games like Black Myth: Wukong and Stellar Blade Aren’t Just Fake Trailers for Gaming Events; They Are Real and Taking the Industry by Storm

I will not come here and pretend I didn’t think Black Myth: Wukong and Stellar Blade looked too good to be true. And just like many others, I was proven wrong. After playing Stellar Blade and finally getting my hands on Black Myth: Wukong, one thing is clear: Asian developers know what we want. Furthermore, the products they are making are well-designed games that compete against and even surpass other Western AAA titles.

Games Like Black Myth: Wukong and Stellar Blade Should Be New Industry Standards

To say the video game industry has lost its way is putting it lightly. Bugs, overpriced products, early access locked behind pre-orders, etc. It’s something overwhelming and not in a good way. But then, games such as Wukong just offer a straightforward single-player experience with great features. Why, then, do we think they are “fake”? Because we’re used to seeing a low bar in the industry, which is sad. Whenever we see something mind-blowing, our first reaction is: “It won’t happen.” But it has happened more than once. Stellar Blade proved it first by gaining fantastic reviews at launch, and Black Myth: Wukong broke records hours after its release.

These things should give all developers an idea of what we want as gamers. A good live service model isn’t bad. However, we also want memorable adventures. We’d rather have one good, stunning game every two years than a yearly franchise that is a mess with bugs at launch. After seeing the opening moments of Wukong, I realized that is exactly what Game Science sought to do: a labor of love. One adventure that, regardless of its length, will stick with us for years to come, which is something we rarely see nowadays.

It Isn’t Exclusive to Single-Player Games

While I prefer an excellent single-player game over a good live-service one any day of the week, Asian studios have also proven that the GAAS model can be friendly toward all players. Take The First Descendant, for example. At first, we all thought it’d be pay-to-win, that the graphics were too good to be true, and that it wouldn’t last over a patch. Well, just take a look at the upcoming update; it’s looking amazing. Furthermore, it is a fantastic place for newcomers who haven’t tried games of this style. Farming is easy, albeit a bit time-consuming. You can unlock most things without spending a dime. It is an overall fun experience that follows a model we’ve all become tired of.

And yet, I can understand the skepticism. I still remember Stellar Blade, formerly known as Project EVE; it showed a fantastic trailer and then went quiet for a while. The same happened with Black Myth: Wukong. Six years in development and just a few breadcrumbs weren’t enough to remove these clouds of doubt. But I am thankful the game proved to be even better than we ever imagined. Now, the same old question remains: “Will this make other developers put more care into their games?” And as always, the answer is uncertain, but I’m glad there’s competition.

Whether it is Stellar Blade, Black Myth: Wukong, or The First Descendant, it is great to see Asian companies taking the world by storm. Plus, it is nice that the Western audience is recognizing this. I’m confident that competition breeds excellence, and this situation should be an example of that. Hopefully, this will mark a new beginning for the industry or at least serve as inspiration to pay attention to what gamers are asking for.