“Monkey King” craze sweeps Taiwan sparking discussions on cultural tradition

TAIPEI, Aug. 27 (Xinhua) — While gamers in Taiwan are not immune to the infectious attraction of “Black Myth: Wukong,” the Chinese-developed “Triple-A” title currently storming the gaming world, it is not the promise of an exotic adventure that has them captivated.
“I get to play with characters I have known since childhood — it is just awesome,” said a Taipei-based veteran video gamer, nicknamed A Xian.
A Xian snapped up a copy as soon as it was released on Aug. 20 and, after days of playing, aside from feeling that “the game is too hard to beat,” he was full of praise for its “distinct Chinese style in the music, architecture, and game-playing strategy.”
The Taipei-based United Daily News wrote in a commentary that the success of “Black Myth: Wukong” is largely due to its high-quality production, innovative technology, deep cultural heritage, and effective marketing strategies.
“As a game based on the classic Chinese novel ‘Journey to the West’ and its leading character Sun Wukong, it not only showcases the charm of traditional culture but also revitalizes it through modern expressions,” the article wrote.
On Taiwan’s popular gaming forum gamer.com.tw, “Black Myth: Wukong” has dominated the forum’s highlight section for several days. In the comment section, many players shared their game-play experiences and strategies, with one post titled “Traveling Shanxi with Wukong — a guide to the scenic spots in the game,” inviting players to “retrace Wukong’s steps” in real life.
“The game is really well-made. I’ve always thought Chinese mythology is cool and captivating, easily as fascinating as Western mythology,” commented a netizen, identifying themselves as linked to the Taiwan-based Chengchi University, on the social media platform Dcard. The user also expressed hope for more games like this in the future, their post garnered hundreds of likes.
The game showcases the beauty of Chinese culture to the world, likely enticing consumers to either personally travel to experience it or purchase related merchandise, said Lai Yueh-chien, a local key opinion leader.
In addition to its popularity among players, the game has already had a positive economic impact on the island as its fluid animations run best on high-end graphics cards.
The stock prices of graphics card companies in Taiwan surged Monday, with second-tier manufacturers such as TUL Corporation and Leadtek hitting the daily limit. First-tier manufacturers MSI, Gigabyte, and ASUS also saw gains ranging from 4 to 9 percent.
While the game has sold millions of copies globally, it is still unavailable for purchase in Taiwan’s PlayStation Store, forcing many local players to switch platforms or register accounts with the company’s Hong Kong’s store.
The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authorities explained the game’s delayed release on the grounds of “incomplete procedures.” But Jaw Shaw-kong, a local politician, criticized this move, calling it not only an inconvenience to players but also a missed financial opportunity, driven by “ideological stupidity.”
The cultural policies of the DPP authorities have long been heavily criticized for deliberately uprooting the traditional Chinese cultural heritage and making the island’s cultural industry face the risk of losing cultural identity.
The development team of Game Science, developer of “Black Myth: Wukong,” said in a recent interview that the success of the game is “a gift from our ancestors,” referring to the story lines and characters borrowed from ‘Journey to the West’ written during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644).
A Xian, born in the 1980s, recalled the Taiwan-developed games he played in his youth, featuring elements of Chinese traditional culture such as classic novels and mythology. “Unfortunately, in recent years, there have been no new creations, which is regrettable,” he said.
The “Monkey King” is not the first mainland cultural production to be popular on the island in recent years. “Genshin Impact,” an open-world adventure game, and a number of popular period dramas have also won over local audiences.
The resonance gamers in Taiwan feel with “Black Myth: Wukong” demonstrates the power of Chinese culture in connecting the minds of people across the Taiwan Strait, said Su Heng, president of a Taiwan-based cross-Strait exchange association. ■