By Sagar V. Mankar Black Myth: Wukong, an action RPG developed by Chinese studio Game Science, made a historic debut. On its launch day, with a peak of 2,223,179 concurrent players, the game shattered several records and became the top-played game on Steam.
It is now become:
- Most-Played Game of 2024: It overtook Palworld’s previous peak of 2.1 million players in January.
- Second Most-Played Game on Steam: The game is now second only to PUBG’s record of 3,257,248 concurrent players set in 2018.
- Most-Played Single-Player Game on Steam: It surpassed highly popular titles like Cyberpunk 2077, Elden Ring, Hogwarts Legacy, and Baldur’s Gate 3.
Here are the top 10 most-played games on Steam based on peak concurrent players:
- PUBG – 3,257,248
- Black Myth: Wukong – 2,223,179
- Palworld – 2,101,867
- Counter-Strike 2 – 1,984,012
- Lost Ark – 1,325,305
- Dota 2 – 1,295,114
- Cyberpunk 2077 – 1,054,388
- Elden Ring – 953,426
- Banana – 917,272
- New World – 913,634
Besides Steam Wukong also launched on other platforms like PlayStation 5 and the Epic Games Store, where player numbers aren’t publicly disclosed but are expected to be significant.
First teased in 2020, the game had been highly anticipated due to its unique premise, which is based on the classic Chinese novel “Journey to the West.”
The backing of major investors, including Tencent and Hero Entertainment, also played a crucial role in its development and marketing. Pre-orders opened on June 8, and by mid-August, the game was already topping sales charts in China.
Moreover, the game’s popularity has been leveraged by major brands like Lenovo, Luckin Coffee, and Didi, who incorporated elements from the game into their promotional campaigns, further boosting its visibility and appeal.
What’s Next for “Black Myth: Wukong”?
With such a strong launch, Black Myth: Wukong is poised for continued success. As we head towards the weekend, player numbers are expected to grow even further, potentially beating the record held by “PUBG.” for 6 years.
The game’s release on Xbox Series X and S, which was delayed for “optimization improvements”, is also highly anticipated.
It’s interesting to see what new records Wukong will shatter in the days ahead.