Hannan Mundia 
Black Myth: Wukong is one of the biggest games of 2024, and fans wonder how it managed to pass the highly successful 2022 Game of the Year winner Elden Ring in players.
It seems as though the most controversial games are the ones breaking records. Before, it was Palworld and , and now it’s Black Myth: Wukong, the second-most-played game in Steam history and the most-played single-player title on the platform. While fans had high expectations from the Chinese AAA game, no one could have predicted how successful it would be.
Most assumed Elden Ring’s Shadow of the Erdtree DLC would be the biggest Soulslike release of 2024, but Black Myth: Wukong overtook it. With similar gameplay mechanics, fans wonder why Black Myth: Wukong is so popular and whether it’s because the game’s comparable to Elden Ring.
Why is Black Myth: Wukong so popular?
Black Myth: Wukong’s popularity is largely thanks to its high popularity in Asia, especially China.
Being considered the first “true” Chinese AAA game by many, players from the country can purchase Black Myth: Wukong for a discounted price. Players with Chinese stores can buy the game for around $40 while the game is $60 to $70 for most non-Chinese stores.
Steam’s statistics show that the game has hit over 2.4 million concurrent players. That makes it the most-played single-player game in Steam history, beating out Palworld. The only game to ever hit a higher concurrent player count number was PUBG: Battlegrounds at its peak, hitting over 3.2 million. Elden Ring’s all-time high 952,523.
These numbers do not include consoles or other digital storefronts.
While Black Myth: Wukong is hitting astronomical highs, its local popularity can be seen in its player count dips. Though it hits over 2 million users in the morning hours of North America, it also dips to the 250,000 range during North American peak hours.
The game’s success in Asia doesn’t mean it isn’t popular in other parts of the world. Even at its lowest points it stands among the top five games on Steam. The game dives deep into Chinese mythology and has extremely high-quality visuals. Black Myth: Wukong takes place in the Shanxi province, significantly increasing searches for Shanxi locations and accommodations. The PlayStation 5 is also in high demand in Xianyu, a popular second-hand market in China.
Is Black Myth: Wukong like Elden Ring?
Black Myth: Wukong has some Soulslike aspects, but the game is more similar to something like God of War than Elden Ring.
Some traditional features Soulslike games are known for include flasks, difficult boss fights, and resting locations that heal the player and respawn enemies. While Black Myth: Wukong has all those, it also has dashing like Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, skill trees, stances, and more that make it more like an ARPG.
Additionally, Elden Ring stands out as one of the first true open-world soulslike games. Black Myth: Wukong is comparatively linear and has a series of chapters players must complete before completing the game.
