"Black Myth: Wukong" has become a global hit, but its profitability is far less than that of mobile games.

The Chinese domestic single-player game "Black Myth: Wukong," set against the backdrop of the classic mythological novel "Journey to the West," was simultaneously launched globally on August 20, 2024, swiftly capturing the attention of gamers worldwide. On its second day of release, the game reached a staggering 2.337 million concurrent players on the Steam platform, setting a new record.

3A stands for "A lot of time," "A lot of resources," and "A lot of money." These games are typically meticulously crafted, offering players an unparalleled gaming experience. They feature expansive worldviews, stunning graphics, rich content, and profound narratives. Prior to this, China's console game market was nearly monopolized by foreign games. The launch of "Black Myth: Wukong" has undoubtedly filled the void of Chinese 3A games. With a significantly high development cost and exceptional quality, the game's production team revealed that its hourly development cost ranged from 15 million to 20 million yuan. The team estimated the overall gameplay duration to exceed 15 hours, but the actual gameplay surpassed this estimate by more than 1.5 times. Therefore, the game's development cost totaled at least 300 to 400 million yuan.

Given such a colossal investment, the question of whether the game would recoup its costs naturally became a focal point. "Black Myth: Wukong" was priced at 268 yuan for the standard edition and 328 yuan for the deluxe edition. On the night of its release, sales on Steam surpassed 3 million copies. Including sales from other platforms like WeGame, Epic, and PS, total sales exceeded 4.5 million copies, generating over 1.5 billion yuan in revenue.

To determine profitability, platform fees must be considered. Steam, PS5, WeGame, and other platforms typically take a 30% cut. Based on a 400 million yuan cost, the game needed to generate over 570 million yuan in sales to break even. Remarkably, "Black Myth: Wukong" achieved this on its launch day, far exceeding expectations for a Chinese domestic 3A game. Analysts predict that with its current sales momentum, the game's future sales could reach around 8 million copies, potentially generating over 20 billion yuan in final sales at a 268 yuan per copy price.

While "Black Myth: Wukong" is projected to generate 20 billion yuan in sales, its profit margin cannot match that of continuously profitable online and mobile games. For instance, the DNF mobile game, launched this year, is estimated to have generated 1.971 billion yuan in revenue on the App Store within just 41 days, nearing "Black Myth: Wukong's" projected final sales.

However, the value of exceptional 3A games transcends mere profitability. They attract vast gaming communities, break industry barriers, and serve as vehicles for cross-cultural exchange. Beyond entertainment, they embody profound artistic and social significance, sparking widespread discussions, influencing mainstream culture, and even shaping new cultural trends.

"Black Myth: Wukong," for instance, incorporates renowned ancient architectural elements from various regions in China. The game's team conducted field research and reconstructions, such as the Thousand-Handed Guanyin at the Dazu Rock Carvings in Chongqing. Its settings like Xiaoxitian, Yuhuang Temple, and Tiefo Temple are inspired by cultural relics across China, sparking a tourism "check-in" trend.

Experts contend that establishing a stable IP effect is crucial. Big productions, heavy investments, and low returns have become synonymous with 3A games.

Take Rockstar Games, a globally renowned game developer, as an example. Its classic series like "Grand Theft Auto" (GTA) and "Red Dead Redemption" set the benchmark for 3A games worldwide. "Red Dead Redemption 2" alone cost 800 million dollars and took eight years to develop, involving over 2,000 employees. Similarly, the budget for "Grand Theft Auto V" (GTA5) reached 265 million dollars. These substantial investments have yielded immense returns. Since its release in late 2013, Rockstar Games has earned over 9 billion dollars from the GTA series, with GTA5's global sales exceeding 200 million copies.

The success of "Black Myth: Wukong" has brought new opportunities and challenges to China's game industry. On the one hand, its success will inspire more Chinese game developers to devote themselves to the production of AAA games, pushing China's game industry to a higher level of development. On the other hand, its success will also make China's game industry face fiercer competition and challenges, requiring continuous innovation and enhancement of its own capabilities to remain invincible in the global game market.