Black Wukong Marks a Turning Point in Chinese Gaming, Says Sony China Chief

Jiangkou Tatsuo, Chairman and President of Sony Interactive Entertainment (Shanghai) Co., Ltd.

AsianFin -- When Black Myth: Wukong launched last year, it did more than captivate gamers—it sparked a nationwide frenzy for PlayStation 5 consoles in China, breaking a decade-long sales record in its first week and triggering shortages across the country.

On the game’s first anniversary, August 20, PlayStation China paid tribute to the Game Science title with a WeChat post titled “Overcoming Hardships, Setting Out Again,” coinciding with the debut of the first trailer for Black Myth: Zhong Kui.

“There is a world before and after Black Wukong,” said Eguchi Tatsuo, Chairman and President of Sony Interactive Entertainment (Shanghai) Co., Ltd., in an exclusive interview with AsianFin. “Black Myth: Wukong marks a turning point in the history of Chinese games—not just the success of a single-player title, but the emergence of a cultural phenomenon.”

The phenomenal success of the domestic game “Black Myth: Wukong” has prompted Sony Group to reassess the Chinese market. Photo taken by the author during the 2025 ChinaJoy event.

The game not only shattered long-standing stereotypes about Chinese-made games but also redefined global audiences’ acceptance of titles rooted in Chinese culture. Unexpectedly, it also drove PlayStation 5’s weekly sales in China to record highs, creating a hardware-buying frenzy rarely seen in the history of console gaming. PlayStation units sold out almost immediately across major retail channels.

Sony’s global headquarters responded swiftly. Eguchi said that headquarters broke its usual inventory allocation strategy to prioritize the Chinese market. Global stock transfers were initiated, and customs clearance was expedited, resolving the shortage within two weeks.

Initially, some executives worried whether Western players would embrace a game deeply rooted in the Chinese aesthetic of Journey to the West. Those concerns quickly evaporated. Eguchi noted that German players proactively asked about the game, and American friends were eager to try it, demonstrating the global appeal of culturally specific content.

The game’s impact was significant enough to be mentioned during Sony Group’s FY2024 Q2 earnings call, a rare acknowledgment for a development team outside Japan or the U.S. The recognition reinforced the growing importance of the Chinese market in Sony’s global strategy.

“Black Wukong has proven that when the content is outstanding, the Chinese market can fully drive overall growth in both hardware and the ecosystem,” Eguchi said, reflecting a sense of pride and optimism for local developers.

PlayStation showcased a Chinese-style design for the first time at the ChinaJoy exhibition area.

During this year’s ChinaJoy expo, the PlayStation booth became a centerpiece for domestic content, adorned with traditional Chinese elements and featuring demos exclusively of Chinese-made games—a first for the company. The success of the Chinese gaming ecosystem demonstrates the results of Sony Interactive Entertainment China’s more than decade-long China Hero Project, now in its fourth phase with expanded support for local developers.

The project has helped Sony identify untapped talent and business opportunities in emerging markets, prompting similar initiatives globally, including the India Hero Project in 2023 and the MENA Hero Project launched last August.

Eguchi noted that the rise of Chinese console games is also changing overall sales patterns. Traditionally, console sales stabilize after two to three years and then decline. However, pent-up demand suppressed by the pandemic caused PlayStation 5 sales to surge in its third year, and sales continue to grow more than four years after launch.

Yet, the post-Black Myth: Wukong era presents a challenge. Industry insiders warn that a blockbuster can heighten player expectations, making other mediocre titles appear underwhelming. Domestic developers still lack confidence in producing AAA console titles, and the ecosystem remains dominated by mobile and PC games. Eguchi likened the situation to a “first college student in the village”—the game proves what’s possible, but it cannot instantly replicate a second miracle.

He highlighted a structural gap: over 80% of the Chinese gaming market is mobile, while console and mobile games are evenly split globally. Integrating expertise from the Live Service (Games as a Service) model into console platforms could unlock substantial growth. The PlayStation 5’s global sales of 77.8 million units represent a vast potential for revenue and player engagement.

Eguchi emphasized that PlayStation will not focus solely on domestic-style games, even amid their recent boom. The company remains committed to a globalized content strategy, balancing international IPs with support for local creators. From cultural trends to technological evolution, and from fostering domestic talent to implementing the “One Sony” strategy, the company aims to leverage both global and local strengths.

“Black Wukong has shown the world what Chinese games can achieve, but the industry must continue to innovate, develop high-quality titles, and build confidence in the console market,” Eguchi said. “The next step is sustaining this momentum and turning a one-time phenomenon into long-term growth.”

As Black Myth: Wukong continues to influence the industry, Sony’s executives see the Chinese market not just as a consumer base but as a catalyst for global gaming trends, reflecting the rising importance of domestic developers in shaping the international landscape.

The interview script with Tatsuo Eguchi is as follows, edited for clarity and brevity:

Q: It’s been a year since our last conversation. During this time, a phenomenal event in the domestic gaming scene was the release of “Black Myth: Wukong,” which became a hit beyond everyone’s expectations. What was your reaction at the time?

Eguchi: My first reaction was, of course, happiness. We’ve known Game Science for about five years, and this is their first single-player game. I hoped that this young team, after investing six years into a game, would see great success.

Actually, even before the game launched, I already thought it was excellent and had a lot of confidence in it. But I did have one concern: its story, world-building, and characters are all very distinctly Chinese, deeply rooted in Chinese culture. I wondered whether overseas players would be able to understand it.

Friends in Japan are certainly familiar with “Journey to the West,” but would players in Europe and America like it? I was a little worried. But then, many American friends told me they would play the game, and even friends in Germany said the same. So I was reassured. If they can embrace Chinese aesthetics and traditional worldviews, then the series of China-themed games we’re developing should have no problem launching overseas.

Global players don’t care where a game comes from or which company made it. The only thing that matters to them is whether the game is fun and impressive. The success of “Black Myth: Wukong” proves that we really have a chance—and will continue to have opportunities in the future.

Q: So what surprised you most at the time was how well “Black Myth: Wukong” was received in overseas markets?

Eguchi: Mainly, I was a little worried before. One year before “Black Myth: Wukong” was released, Game Science put out a trailer, and at that time, people overseas thought it looked amazing. But just from watching the trailer, no one really knew what the story of the game would be. However, after it launched, the word of mouth was still very good, and sales kept getting better and better. Even now, it continues to sell very well.

Q: Have you played “Black Myth: Wukong”? What score would you give it?

Eguchi: I haven’t finished it yet—I still haven’t beaten one of the major boss scenes. The game is truly excellent: the graphics are beautiful, and the characters are very appealing. Of course, there’s still room for improvement. I believe they’ve already started working on their next challenge, and that’s how progress happens. I don’t know what their next project will be like or when it will come out, but I’m sure it will be even better.

Q: “Black Myth: Wukong” is undoubtedly top-tier within the gaming community, but what surprised many is that it’s had an impact on society as a whole—even the entire entertainment industry, and even people who never played games are now paying attention, studying, and analyzing it. Why do you think it has such a strong ability to reach new audiences?

Eguchi: First of all, they chose the theme of “Journey to the West” and created a story around it. Also, nowadays, more and more Chinese people are embracing traditional Chinese culture—the younger generation especially likes Tang and Ming dynasty clothing, and the “Guochao” (national trend) has really taken off.

Game Science put a lot of heart into the development, and the visuals are stunning. Many people have never seen a “Journey to the West” world rendered in such high quality. In the past, we’d read the book or watch TV dramas, but now, everyone can personally experience the characters on screen, flying around and so on.

Those battle sequences are something no one had seen before, and everyone was blown away by the experience—not just young people, but a lot of uncles and aunties as well. Game Science went to Shanxi to scan many old buildings, and the local government was very supportive. Now, everyone is traveling there. The support from local governments this time was incredibly fast, and there have been many online and offline events.

Within our company, when we saw this phenomenon, we kept saying, “phenomenal, phenomenal…”

So, in the domestic gaming industry, the world before and after "Black Myth: Wukong" is truly different. People's expectations for games have risen, which also puts more pressure on future developers. But at the same time, they see new possibilities—if their own games could achieve such popularity, it would be worth striving for. This has also boosted their motivation.

Q: Is Sony internally referring to this as a "phenomenal" event? What is the headquarters’ impression of "Black Myth: Wukong"?

Eguchi: Everyone was shocked. Sony Group has six divisions, and gaming is one of them—currently, gaming accounts for the largest share of our revenue. Last year, at the financial results conference, Sony headquarters also mentioned the success of "Black Myth: Wukong." At that moment, we felt very proud. This is a significant contribution to the global commercial operations of Sony Group.

Q: Indeed, the impact of "Black Myth: Wukong" goes beyond culture. At the time, PlayStation 5 sales soared across major Chinese channels, making the console hard to find, and many high-end PCs were also sold out and out of stock. Could you share how your team internally responded to this unexpected market surge?

Eguchi: Actually, although we were confident that "Black Myth: Wukong" would sell well, the market exploded so suddenly that the demand for our consoles far exceeded our expectations. In an instant, all the stock in stores across China was sold out. We restocked our inventory as quickly as possible, but it kept selling out immediately after every restock.

So internally, we discussed what to do next. We knew we couldn’t miss this opportunity. At the time, it was summer vacation in Japan, but we immediately contacted headquarters, telling them that we had sold out and needed more stock as soon as possible. Normally, there’s a set delivery window for console orders to arrive at our warehouse.

However, headquarters saw our situation—completely out of stock—and recognized that any available units would sell immediately. So, they shortened the delivery time and restocked us right away. The shipments arrived at our domestic warehouse very quickly.

To support the Chinese market, headquarters prioritized global inventory for China at that time. The complete out-of-stock situation lasted for about one to two weeks before supply caught up. We’re very grateful for headquarters’ flexible and urgent response, and our logistics and import teams also worked extremely hard.

Q: Since the launch of PlayStation, has this been a relatively rare phenomenon?

Eguchi: Yes, it is. The week when “Black Myth: Wukong” was released marked the highest weekly sales we’ve seen in the ten years since PlayStation entered China.

Actually, one of PlayStation’s characteristics is that a product sells steadily for a long period. PlayStation 4 has been selling since its initial launch in 2013, and PlayStation 5 has been on the market for nearly five years. Console sales typically follow a curve: there’s a spike at launch, and then things gradually stabilize after two or three years—this is the trend for every generation.

That’s why we pay close attention to weekly sales trends, which is very important. For example, in the Chinese market, sales tend to rise during the 618 Shopping Festival, Double 11, and the Spring Festival. We generally have a good idea of when and how many units we can expect to sell, so we import and prepare inventory accordingly—it’s a cycle.

However, that particular week surpassed all our previous sales records, even higher than the launch weeks of both the PS4 and PS5, setting a new record. There was no 618, no Double 11—it was just the release of a single game. So, PlayStation console sales are highly dependent on the quality of the games. When a great game comes out, everyone wants to buy the console.

That’s why, when a new console is first released, even if there aren’t many new games, players will still buy it. But after a year or two, people usually wait for a great game before purchasing the console. So, the sales-driving power of “Black Myth: Wukong” is truly remarkable.

Q: Is this kind of short-term shortage a one-off, an exception, or could it happen again in the future? After this incident, have you come up with any measures to deal with similar situations?

Eguchi: It’s very difficult—this is actually the hardest part of our business. Managing inventory and forecasting demand is really challenging. It’s similar to selling clothes or shoes: how do you prepare, and how do you sell out?

If you overestimate and prepare too much inventory, that creates problems. Warehousing costs money, and if sales are slow, you have to lower prices, which reduces profits. Inventory management is extremely important, but it’s impossible to always get it exactly right. In the future, we’ll continue to work hard to control inventory and achieve just the right balance. We’ll do our best, but we can’t guarantee that this issue won’t happen again.

Q: This year, the PlayStation booth at ChinaJoy features a distinctly Chinese design, and for the first time, all the games available for demo at the booth are domestically developed titles. There’s a growing emphasis on traditional cultural IPs, more than ever before. For example, during this year’s Spring Festival, the Chinese animated film “Nezha: Birth of the Demon Child” achieved box office results that surprised everyone. How do you interpret this series of phenomena?

Eguchi: This is a significant shift. In recent years, there’s been a noticeable change in Chinese preferences when it comes to entertainment. Many people have mentioned that, in the past, box office hits were dominated by Hollywood blockbusters, and when it came to animation, everyone watched Marvel. But now, audiences prefer domestic films, and Chinese-developed games are becoming increasingly popular—everyone likes them, and this trend extends to domestic cars as well.

For example, the IP for “Black Wukong” was created by Chinese developers, as was the IP for Nezha. People are drawn to characters from classic Chinese culture, so the timing for all of this is just right.

Another reason is the advancement of technology. Both the game “Black Wukong” and the “Nezha” film series have made extensive use of computer-generated effects, which is closely tied to the growth of Chinese developers’ capabilities.

Q: Will this new wave of enthusiasm for traditional culture influence Sony Interactive Entertainment’s strategy in the Chinese market?

Eguchi: Our overall direction hasn’t changed. As a platform, we need to offer a wide variety of games. We can’t have only martial arts titles, nor can we focus solely on sports games—that wouldn’t work either.

We still need diversity; we need games of all genres and from all countries. That’s what makes a truly global platform. So, with the current popularity of domestic games, we will invest heavily, but not just in one genre.

That said, domestic games, especially in terms of our business in China, have become a driving force for us. We will continue to support the development of Chinese games. But this isn’t something we just started recently—we began supporting local development teams ten years ago.

In the early days, the teams that worked with us have finally started to release their games one after another. Developing a PlayStation game takes at least five to seven years. So this year, next year, and the years after, there will be more Chinese-developed games that we’ve worked on together coming out. That’s why I’m very optimistic about the future of Chinese games in the coming years.

Q: Your perspective is a bit different from mine. After Black Myth: Wukong became a hit, I spoke with some domestic game developers and company executives. My impression is that, overall, people still see an uncertain future for console games and AAA titles in China. Most people don’t have much confidence in this sector.

Eguchi: Looking at the domestic market and the global market are two different things. In China, console games still account for a very small share; the majority of the market is dominated by mobile games. So, if you only look at the domestic situation, I can understand why game developers aren’t confident about console games yet.

However, if you look at the global market, console games are still mainstream. Console games and mobile games each take up about 50% of the market. Our PlayStation 5 has sold 77.8 million units worldwide, which shows just how large the global market is.

If developers consider the global market, they’ll see the potential. Console games and mobile games are different business models, belong to different platforms, and have different objectives.

Single-player games, like Black Myth: Wukong, typically offer 60 to 70 hours of gameplay, with a story that runs from start to finish and ends when you complete the game. Then there are live service games (also known as games as a service), which don’t have an ending and keep players engaged continuously.

The experiences of these two types of games are different, but on the PlayStation platform, the two models are increasingly blending. Many live service games are now appearing on consoles, and this is something that domestic game developers are particularly good at. If they can bring this expertise to the console platform, they should be able to tap into new markets. So, there’s no need to be overly pessimistic.

Q: There’s another reason people are talking about the “post-Black Myth: Wukong era.” After the excitement and thrill among players and the market fades, there’s a sense of disappointment because it might be a long time before we see another game of similar quality. Everyone is hoping for “the second college graduate from the village,” but so far, no game has matched the momentum of Black Myth: Wukong. What do you think is the reason for this?

Eguchi: For those of us in the console game industry, this is normal. It’s impossible to have a blockbuster game every month. For us, it usually takes a year or two for a major hit to emerge. There’s just a difference in expectations.

Although over the past year, there hasn't been a Chinese-developed game on PlayStation that has surpassed Black Myth: Wukong, I know that many companies are currently developing games, and there are a few that I believe have great potential and, like Black Myth: Wukong, could achieve significant success. So, we just need to wait a little longer.

Q: What factors are necessary for future game titles to achieve the same level of success as Black Myth: Wukong?

Eguchi: One thing I can mention is that game companies should upgrade their development environments and use the latest game engines. There are also many aspects that can be outsourced—art, sound, and special effects can all be handled by outsourcing companies. The industrial chain for console game development is already very mature.

Is a good game simply about having the most stunning visuals? Not necessarily. If everyone thinks that way, then all the games would end up looking very similar. It's essential to create works that are innovative—whether that's in the story, characters, gameplay, or systems. Ideally, you should strive for ideas that players have never seen before. That's what we should be aiming for.

So, what exactly is creativity? In fact, it changes with every era, and the game development environment is constantly evolving and improving. If a game takes five or even seven years to develop, you need to clearly define its unique selling points and creative aspects right from the start. Of course, things might change later on, but the initial creative concept is extremely important.

Therefore, when we select projects for the China Hero Project, one of the key criteria is whether the game is creative. I think this is a very important point.

Q: Developing a console game can take five to seven years, which is about the same as the sales lifespan of a PlayStation generation. Moreover, the sales cycle of a game console follows a curve. PlayStation 5 has been on the market for over four years now. Internally, do you anticipate that it has already entered its downward cycle? How should developers respond?

Eguchi: From PlayStation 1 through PlayStation 4, this kind of situation may have occurred, but PlayStation 5 is a bit different. When PlayStation 5 launched, there were factors like the pandemic and component shortages, so in the first and second years, supply was limited even though demand was very high. During that period, demand far outstripped supply.

By the third year, we were finally able to supply enough units to meet global demand—not just in China, but worldwide. So, from the third to the fifth year, PlayStation 5 sales have continued to grow, and we haven't yet reached the peak in sales.

Of course, sooner or later, PlayStation 5 will reach its peak sales and then see a decline—that’s perfectly normal. But for game developers, what matters most is the cumulative adoption rate of a console and its total user base. Annual console sales don’t directly impact game developers. Moreover, the lineup of games becomes richer over time.

So, for games that couldn’t make it to the new platform in the first or second year, they typically start to launch in the third or fourth year. The number of games released increases as time goes on. That’s why, in the early stages, we focus on selling consoles, and later, we concentrate on selling content.

For players, the period from now through the next few years is the most exciting time, because they already own the console, and every year, great games from around the world continue to be released.

Q: This year, a key moment for Sony China was when executives made their debut interview appearance at Bilibili World. This is also part of Sony China’s implementation of the “One Sony” strategy. Each major business division shared updates on their core operations, but it seems that the synergy between divisions isn’t particularly close. What is the current communication and collaboration mechanism within Sony China? What topics have you discussed most together this year?

Eguchi: Actually, our internal communication is very smooth, but the results may not be visible from the outside. That’s because what we’re working on isn’t about today’s or tomorrow’s business—that’s not our goal. Our aim is to explore new business opportunities. It takes time for consumers to feel the impact. We have already started exploring new business directions.

Bilibili World was just a showcase, meant to convey that Sony is a creative entertainment company—not just a camera company, nor simply a company that sells games or movies. Under the Sony brand, we are a company that combines technology and entertainment, and we want to communicate that message.

In the past few years, as we’ve implemented the “One Sony” initiative, we’ve held meetings every week and every month to jointly drive many projects. The purpose of these projects is to explore whether there are new business opportunities we can pursue together.

For example, Sony has signed a three-year strategic partnership with the Shanghai professional basketball team—the Shanghai Jiushi Sharks Basketball Club. What we want to do goes beyond just putting the Sony logo on the players’ jerseys; our goal is to explore new possibilities in the sports industry.

Now, for fans watching basketball games, experiencing the event live with Sony’s technology would be even better. At the Shanghai Stadium, there’s a massive screen that usually just broadcasts the match. But with Sony’s technology, for example, players could be transformed into IP characters on the screen—like Black Goku, or characters from Demon Slayer. Or, whenever a player makes an impressive move, the screen could instantly replay it in 360 degrees.

During the 10-minute halftime break, when the audience usually feels bored, this screen could be used to play NBA games, with the gameplay shown on the big screen.

Our game controllers already offer immersive vibration feedback, and Sony’s vibration technology is very advanced. Currently, we’re developing vibration floors—not just simple vibrations, but a highly nuanced experience, which is still in the works. If these vibration floors were installed under VIP seats during basketball games, it would create a whole new experience. A few weeks ago, we already tested this at an international basketball game in Shanghai.

There’s also the aspect of live streaming the games. Streaming platforms can incorporate new technologies to make watching the games more engaging, and Sony’s technology can provide that.

If our clients, including TV stations, are satisfied, then this could become a profitable business in the future. It’s actually quite difficult to fully explain these advanced technologies verbally—there’s so much more. Although the public hasn’t seen major results yet, we’ve made significant progress internally at Sony.

Q: Will the exploration of new One Sony projects create competition with the traditional core businesses of each division? For example, if players go to a physical venue to watch a basketball game, they won’t have time to play games on PlayStation.

Eguchi: We’re all part of Sony Group. The six major divisions are different companies, but each has a shared mission: to support creators. This is a goal pursued by all divisions.

The China Hero Project, for example, supports game developers. Sony Music also supports domestic singers and bands... For the basketball project, we’re collaborating because athletes are creators too—they express their abilities through performance.

So, if we start from the philosophy of supporting creators, this is Sony Group’s contribution to the global entertainment industry. We don’t focus on whether it might conflict with our existing businesses.