Ethan and Carson, students from Form 5 Bauhinia and Form 4 Cassia respectively, gave a sharing during the flag-raising ceremony on 12 September 2024. They talked about Black Myth: Wukong (黑神話﹕悟空), China’s first triple-A (3A) video game and one of the fastest-selling video games of all time. They introduced the historical and cultural elements of it and how it became a testament to China’s growing technological innovation.
Written by Ethan Wong (Form 5) & Carson Yeung (Form 4)
Ethan: Carson, have you heard of the new game called Black Myth: Wukong (黑神話：悟空）? I heard it had been released on 19 August, 2024, and had sold 10 million copies within three days. Black Myth: Wukong is one of the fastest-selling video games of all time. Heralded as the Chinese video game industry's first AAA video game production, the title was released on PC and PS5 with an Xbox version following shortly. And now it has sold over 18 million copies, and I am pretty sure some of our fellow classmates have been playing this game.
Carson: 沒錯，它在短短三天內就售出了超過 1000 萬份。這真是太瘋狂了！而且圖像是如此細緻和逼真。作為中國首款國產3A遊戲（AAA），《黑神話：悟空》的成功不僅具備市場價值，更有口碑意義。
Ethan: Well, that's because Black Myth: Wukong is an action-adventure game designed by Chinese developers, inspired by the classical Chinese novel Journey to the West (西遊記). The game has not only had a great run in the domestic market, it is enjoying international fame and remains loved by everyone who tries it. Beyond the gorgeous art and attractive gameplay, it is also an opportunity to tell a little piece of Chinese culture to the world.
By blending traditional Chinese folklore with modern game design, “Black Myth: Wukong” has created an innovative experience that is both fresh and deeply rooted in cultural heritage. This fusion of old and new not only entertains but also educates players about the depth and the beauty of Chinese culture, fostering sense of pride and confidence among Chinese players and showcasing the richness of our heritage to the world.
Carson: 《黑神話：悟空》是一款由中國開發商製作的動作冒險遊戲，靈感源自中國古典小說《西遊記》。除了華麗的景物和吸引遊戲玩家的遊戲玩法之外，這也是向世界講述中國文化的機會。為了確保玩家能夠沉浸在反映中國豐富歷史和文化遺產的環境中，《悟空》並沒有採用西方電子遊戲中常見的城堡和大教堂，而是融合了中國的寺廟、寶塔和亭閣，均取材於具有數百年歷史的遺址，特別是在以古代木結構建築聞名的山西。例如: 山西雲岡石窟，是中國「四大石窟」之一，已有1,500多年歷史。《黑神話：悟空》還有人物取至西遊記，例如：二郎神，豬八戒等等。
Ethan: Black Myth: Wukong has efficiently translated China's ancient history and cultural fabric into an enchanting visual feast in a game of authenticity. Off The Map Game captured thousands of laser scanned data points to create a detailed accurate glowing 3D on-screen model.
Moreover, the game’s success demonstrates China’s capability to deliver AAA games at a global standard, showcasing our technical prowess in the gaming industry. By integrating advanced technologies such as AI and high-precision 3D scanning, this can not only increase the efficiency in data collection and modeling time but also reduces the risks of damage to cultural relics. Chinese developers have proven that they can compete on the world stage, pushing the boundaries of what is possible in game design and development.
Carson: 《黑神話：悟空》的開發也凸顯了中國善於利用先進技術創建豐富沉浸式體驗的能力。該遊戲採用尖端的3D掃描技術捕捉現實世界物件、環境和角色的細節。這項技術提高了視覺保真度，呈現出逼真而沉浸式的環境，使得人物有更好的體驗。
Ethan: Despite video games being thought to be harmful to students, this game allows us to further learn about Chinese culture that has not been taught in textbooks and it shows the state of technology of the Chinese on the international stage. The success of “Black Myth: Wukong” is a testament to the power of cultural confidence and technological innovation. It shows that by embracing our heritage and promoting cutting-edge technology, we can create something truly remarkable that resonates with people around the world.
Carson: 《黑神話：悟空》的成功證明了文化自信和技術創新的力量。這表明，通過擁抱我們的遺產並利用尖端技術，我們可以創造出真正非凡的作品，並與世界各地的人們產生共鳴。
Ethan: Thank you for being here today. We hope you have a deeper understanding on Black Myth: Wukong and see how it connects to our culture. Let’s continue to explore , appreciate our culture and walk towards a brighter future.
Carson: 謝謝大家。希望大家對《黑神話：悟空》有更深的理解和了解到它的文化背景。讓我們繼續欣賞及發掘我們的文化、邁向更光明的未來。
Ethan: This is the end of our sharing. Thank you.