In the middle of a long list of twitch streams for Black Myth: WukongGame Science’s new action-RPG released this week, one stood out: “COVID-19 ISOLATION TAIWAN (IT’S A REAL COUNTRY) FEMINISM PROPAGANDA.” The stream, led by a creator named Moonmoon, didn’t include anything out of the ordinary for a video game playthrough — just a cheeky nod to some themes that Chinese studio Game Science, which developed the game, would rather ignore.
On platforms like Twitch and YouTube, streamers are turning around to metaphorical middle finger The game, which is set in Ming-era China and based on Chinese mythology, has been plagued by restrictions imposed on some of the creators who were invited to review it. Just days after its release, it is already a huge hit game that has attracted more than 2.2 million concurrent players. According to market research firm Niko’s Partners, Black Myth: WukongThe success of “signals that Chinese studios are ready to compete directly with established Western and Japanese developers in the premium AAA space.”
Shortly before Black Myth: WukongAt the launch of ‘s, some streamers were given the first codes to create content with the game, with some caveats. According to screenshots In instructions posted online, streamers who received these instructions were told not to “include politics, violence, nudity, feminist propaganda, fetishization, and other content that incites negative discourse” in their content, or “use keywords such as ‘quarantine’ or ‘isolation’ or ‘COVID-19.’” Additionally, streamers were asked not to discuss anything about China’s gaming industry policies, opinions, or news.
These guidelines were not cited as a condition for all who were invited to play the game early; media such as Polygon and Kotaku were given standard review embargoes with no strict rules about what content they couldn’t mention, other than spoilers. According to a Aftermath ReportWhile some streamers often receive requests to avoid topics like politics, those requests are usually related to sponsorships or paid contracts. However, those restrictions, which appear to come from the game’s publisher, Hero games—are now backfiring, as even players who received no grade are mocking the guidelines they find ridiculous.
Rui Zhong, a writer and researcher, broadcast herself playing the game while discussing Journey to the Westthe novel Black myth is an adaptation of, as well as feminism in China and the country’s one-child policy. (Zhong has previously written about Chinese censorship for WIRED.)
“What bothered me was that many of the channels opposing the game’s rules didn’t try very hard and played up stereotypical, superficial impressions of Chinese politics and society,” Zhong tells WIRED. Misogyny in development, gaming spaces, and elsewhere “is not a problem unique to China. It’s not the only place where feminists are framed as man-haters, as developers have said.”
A IGN Report An article published last year uncovered a history of sexist and inappropriate comments made by Game Science employees and shareholders. Co-founder Yang Qi has spoken about “how games made for women and men are completely different, because of their biological differences,” IGN reported; other examples include a technical artist discussing the possibility of masturbating to the game’s female snake spirit. Zhong, who was quoted in the IGN article, told the publication that feminist organizing in China was “very uphill,” with “crackdowns after labor organizing efforts, there have been crackdowns for discussing marital issues, there have definitely been crackdowns after people have accused prominent Chinese men of sexual harassment, assault, or misconduct, and the deck has been generally very stacked against them.”