Thanks to Black Myth Wukong, Everyone Now Knows China-Made Games Have the Potential to Sell 30M Units Says Phantom Blade Zero Dev

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Key Takeaways

  • Phantom Blade Zero is now facing higher expectations due to Black Myth Wukong‘s success, attracting more resources and investor interest.
  • Developers now realize the potential for Chinese-made games to achieve significant sales, potentially reaching 30 million copies in half a year.
  • Phantom Blade Zero’s announcement trailer has surpassed Black Myth Wukong’s trailer in views outside of China, indicating strong international interest.

2024 saw a significant shockwave when Black Myth Wukong, the action game created by Chinese developers at Game Science, turned out to be a massive hit. The game’s release propelled it to the summit of Steam’s charts and even led to the temporary depletion of PS5 consoles in China due to high demand.

Could Phantom Blade Zero, which is being made by China-based studio S-Game, replicate this success?

Phantom Blade Zero Director States the Gaming World Now Knows Games Made in China Can Sell a Ton

At the Game Developers Conference (GDC), Phantom Blade Zero’s director, “Soulframe” Liang, discussed the increased pressure they are experiencing due to Black Myth Wukong’s success. Although the studio has gained additional resources from investors like Tencent (who also backed Black Myth Wukong), this influx of support means that expectations have significantly risen. Liang explains, “Now everyone understands that a Chinese game could potentially sell 30 million copies in just six months.

Is it reasonable to assume that S-Game will achieve the same level of sales as Black Myth Wukong? While it’s possible, making such a claim would be rather bold, considering Black Myth Wukong has been highly anticipated for years (with its initial trailer generating global excitement) and is based on one of China’s most revered literary characters, Sun Wukong, from the classic novel Journey to the West.

While Black Myth Wukong’s trailers are popular in China and other regions, Phantom Blade Zero surpasses it in viewership on the PlayStation channel, with over 5.3 million views compared to Wukong’s 2.8 million and even 3 million on the official PlayStation YouTube channel. This seems to be a significant point of comparison, but I suppose any victory is still a victory.

In the same conversation, someone inquired if Liang found it annoying when the game was often linked to Souls-like games. “I don’t view it as a source of irritation,” Liang replied, “but rather as a means to assist players in comprehending the game more effectively.

Liang stated, “Despite a mix-up that has led some to compare us to Ninja Gaiden and Devil May Cry, which is actually the other way around. However, this might aid another segment of gamers in comprehending or foreseeing our game. There’s appeal for everyone here. But from our perspective, it’s challenging to classify our game strictly as a Souls-like title or hack-and-slash. It’s more like a blend; it serves as a narrative tool for us.

As for Phantom Blade Zero, there’s currently no fixed launch date announced, but based on what S-Game shared, you can expect to spend around 20 to 30 hours playing through its main narrative.

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2025-03-27 02:32