Chinese Game 'Black Myth: Wukong' drives Sony PS5 console sales to double

A character similar to the Monkey King Sun Wukong in the action role-playing game "Black Myth: Wukong." Photo from Black Myth: Wukong Twitter

Citing industry sources, the South China Morning Post reported that since its release on Tuesday, "Black Myth: Wukong" has sold at least 4.5 million copies for the PS5 and personal computers.

As a result, data from Alibaba’s Taobao and Tmall Group shows that in the seven days leading up to the game’s release, the transaction volume for PS5 on Sony’s Tmall store increased by more than 100% year-on-year. The PS5 also maintained the top position as the "hot item" for video gaming equipment on Tmall for four consecutive days during this period.

"This is a big win for Sony," remarked Yan Fang, a gaming hardware merchant in Shanghai. "The PS5 offers the best option for those who want to try out "Wukong" but cannot afford to buy a 40-series Nvidia display card for their PCs."

Yan further mentioned that his store received over a dozen inquiries about the PS5’s availability on Tuesday alone, indicating a significant rise in interest in the console.

Similarly, Sony’s flagship store in Shanghai’s Huangpu district quickly sold out its stock of six freshly delivered PS5 consoles, with total sales for the day surpassing typical levels.

Due to the high demand, customers placing PS5 orders after Wednesday might face up to a week-long wait for delivery, according to store staff.

On Xianyu, Alibaba Group Holding’s online flea market, searches for PS5 consoles have surged by 300% this month. The platform recorded its highest single-day transaction volume this month, with over 700 orders, as sellers included keywords like "Black Myth" and "Wukong" in their product descriptions to attract more buyers.

According to AFP, "Black Myth: Wukong," considered the first Chinese-developed "Triple A" title—a term used to describe major, high-budget, stand-alone games—is inspired by the classic 16th-century Chinese novel "Journey to the West."

Players take on the role of a character similar to the Monkey King Sun Wukong, a central figure in the story.