Jamie C
Black Myth: Wukong eagerly awaited release is overshadowed
The highly anticipated “souls-like” game Black Myth: Wukong is set to be released on August 20th, 2024. Reviews from major outlets have started pouring in, revealing mixed receptions.
While some critics praise the game for its smooth combat mechanics and grand cinematic backdrops, others have raised concerns about issues such as unfair balance.
One review, in particular, from ScreenRant, has sparked controversy has overshadowed the release of the game with their review, which readers were quick to voice their options.
Given that Black Myth: Wukong is set in mythological ancient China, many readers were quick to express their disagreement with these points. They argued that the expectation of diverse representation might be misplaced in a game that draws heavily from existing, culturally specific lore and stories.
In the review it is mentioned;
“While my analysis and review of Black Myth: Wukong remain focused on gameplay, it’s important to mention the controversies surrounding the game’s studio and the reports of misogyny and sexism from developers. Playing as a female gamer allowed me to notice issues surrounding inclusion and representation.”
Out of respect and from avoiding further harassment this writer has been receiving, we will also not be sharing their name here. But if you were to go to their review of the game you will notice the writer’s name has been removed from the post and replaced with the default “ScreenRant Team” author. Even 2 “editor notes” have been placed at the bottom of the article to add further context.
“Editor’s note: The author’s name has been removed for their safety.”
And
“Editor’s note: The studio behind Black Myth: Wukong, GameScience, has previously been accused of fostering a toxic environment for its workers. The 2023 allegations include sexualized comments against women, misogyny, fatphobia, and more. More details can be found here .”
We can respect the Screenrant team for sticking by their employee, and this type of situation does raise the question if we should be separating these narratives from reviews. Maybe even, revisiting morals and standards of practice when writing reviews.
We do not condone the actions the studio has been accused of and it should be 100% reported on, however we also believe a review is meant to reflect the end product and not be politicized. If reviews not just at Screenrant but the industry as a whole, begin to include critiques based on social or political factors, it could potentially undermine the perceived authenticity of review scores. The gaming community is already questioning whether low scores are truly reflective of a game’s quality, or if they are influenced by the reviewer’s personal or political biases.
This debate is not limited to Black Myth: Wukong. Ubisoft is also facing backlash from Japanese gamers over the inclusion of a Black character in a game set in Feudal Japan. Although the character, Yasuke, is based on a real historical figure, a man of African descent who became a samurai that many gamers feel that his inclusion seems more like a checkbox for diversity rather than a reflection of the game’s historical setting.
We have reached out to Screenrant for comment and will update you if we receive a response.
