On August 10, Yang Qi, co-founder of Game Science and art director of the Black Myth series, shared the team’s development philosophy on social media, making it clear that the currently-in-development Black Myth: Zhong Kui will deliberately avoid AIGC generative tools during the design and game asset production stages.
The discussion began when Yang Qi posted his thoughts after watching a film, writing on his Weibo account that Nolan’s new movie The Odyssey is “the standard answer for epic cinema, deeply inspiring.” A netizen then asked in the comments whether current AI tools could help accelerate the overall development of Black Myth: Zhong Kui and shorten the release timeline for the new title.
Yang Qi responded directly: “We’ll stay away from AIGC during the design and asset phases. It’s not that I’m against it—I just want to hold the line for this last stretch, you know? Funny how today, when digital cinema and 3D post-production seem to be hitting a dead end, Nolan’s out here glowing, stirring things up with even older techniques… There’s no last train you absolutely have to catch. Finding a cozy little inn and settling in works just fine. Besides, AI isn’t going anywhere. No rush.”
Generative AI has now become a mainstream auxiliary tool across the global gaming industry. Many studios rely on AI to rapidly produce concept art, scene assets, textures, and sound effects—cutting labor costs and speeding up project output. However, assets churned out in bulk by AIGC often suffer from hollow details, homogenized styles, and a lack of human emotion.
Judging by Yang Qi’s response, even though AI could dramatically speed things up today, Game Science still has plenty of time to experiment with new technologies down the road. There’s no need to rush the new project to completion.
Moreover, for a series like Black Myth, which centers on traditional Eastern mythology and meticulously detailed realistic Chinese-style art, hand-drawn artwork and manual modeling remain the key to preserving the soul of the work.
According to public information, Black Myth: Zhong Kui was officially greenlit in June 2025 and is still in its early R&D phase. Previously, Game Science gave an interview after the Los Angeles Black Myth: Wukong symphony concert, revealing plans for the new title. This installment departs from the passionate, weighty epic tone of Black Myth: Wukong, pivoting toward a witty, down-to-earth style rooted in everyday life. The combat system is built around iconic items like Zhong Kui’s sword, folding fan, and gourd. The visual rendering standards are set significantly higher than the previous game, with the team aiming for photo-grade Chinese-style scenes and character models, while also lowering the narrative barrier to suit the aesthetic preferences of players both at home and abroad.
As of now, Game Science has not announced a projected release date for Black Myth: Zhong Kui, having only unveiled two teaser segments—one at Gamescom and one in a Chinese New Year short film. On August 20, 2025, at the Gamescom Opening Night Live, Game Science unveiled its latest title Black Myth: Zhong Kui. The official website is now live, and the game has officially entered development.
At the time, Feng Ji, founder and CEO of Game Science and producer of Black Myth: Wukong, posted an explanation for why they decided to create a new title. He said that after Black Myth: Wukong launched, a considerable amount of time had passed. At this moment, they wanted to first make a new Black Myth game—a new hero, new gameplay, new visuals, new technology, and a new story.
As the second installment in the Black Myth series, Black Myth: Zhong Kui continues to draw from ancient Chinese mythology and folk legends. It remains a standard single-player action RPG, with the same business model as its predecessor.
Given the painstakingly long polish cycle of the previous game, and the creators’ clear stance that they’re not chasing the AI trend, it’s safe to say this new mythological title still has a long road of deep cultivation ahead.
Developed by Game Science, Black Myth: Wukong is an action-adventure game based on Sun Wukong from Journey to the West. It is widely regarded within the industry as China’s first true AAA game.
Black Myth: Wukong launched globally on August 20, 2024. On its release day, buzz swept across every major social platform, with over one million concurrent players, achieving a phenomenal breakout success. According to data disclosed by analytics firm VG Insights in November of that year, Black Myth: Wukong had sold over 22 million copies on Steam, generating roughly $1.1 billion in revenue.
According to public data, as of June this year, cumulative global sales of Black Myth: Wukong across all platforms have surpassed 30 million copies, with overseas sales accounting for over 50%—exceeding 15 million units sold abroad. On Steam, the game has consistently maintained a 95%+ positive review rating. Physical disc sales continue to climb across multiple European countries, with Spain alone surpassing 40,000 physical copies sold.
On August 5 this year, ahead of its second anniversary, Black Myth: Wukong announced that all digital editions (Standard, Deluxe, and Deluxe Upgrade Pack) would soon receive a 30% discount. The PlayStation Store sale runs from August 12 to August 26, while the Microsoft Store, Steam, Epic Games Store, and WeGame sales run from August 12 at 12:00 AM to August 25 at 11:59 PM. Due to platform policies, the exact start and end times of the PS5 promotion vary slightly across time zones. Honduras, Mexico, and Nicaragua will not participate in this round of PS5 discounts.
Additionally, in September last year, the first offline retail store for Black Myth began operations, with a corresponding store service account launched simultaneously. Located in Yichuang Town, Zhuantang Subdistrict, Xihu District, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, the store spans roughly 1,000 square meters and features displays of key characters from the game, including the Great Sage, Bull Demon King, Huangmei, and Erlang. Merchandise spans six categories: figurines, apparel, plush toys, accessories, home goods, and bags. On opening day, many products were already sold out.
Back then, Yang Qi posted a hiring notice on social media for store staff and a store manager. The listing emphasized that applicants should “have a passion for art and culture, possess aesthetic and fashion sensitivity, and present an image and style that aligns with the brand’s vibe.”
