The Chinese game Black Myth: Wukong has become a gaming smash hit less than a week after its release, but it's now in hot water after content creators were given a list of things they can't say when talking about the game online. One item on the list asks creators not to talk about “feminist propaganda,” though it's unclear what they mean by that.
“Do not insult other influencers or players,” the directive states.
Please do not use offensive language or humor.
Do not include content that promotes politics, violence, nudity, feminist propaganda, fetishism, or any other negative discourse.
Do not use trigger words such as “quarantine” or “isolation” or “Covid-19.”
Please do not discuss any content related to China's game industry policies, opinions, news, etc.
“Black Myth,” based on the 16th century Chinese novel “Journey to the West,” sold more than 10 million copies worldwide in the three days since its release last week, according to game developer Game Science.
The list of topics to avoid has been creating a buzz on the Internet. Some reports say that the “feminist propaganda” is linked to news that Game Science employees had engaged in sexist and inappropriate behavior. This includes a November report by gaming website IGN. As such, fans believe that the directive is linked to IGN's reporting.
However, some reviews have criticized Black Myth for its lack of diversity, with many wondering if this is an attempt to stifle “woke” sentiment in the gaming world.
But with no non-disclosure agreements and no legal force behind the directive, some users have opted to inject humour into their broadcasts, with one even titled his livestream “COVID-19 Quarantine Taiwan (a real country) Feminist Propaganda.”
Black Miss: What is Wukong?
The Chinese game was an instant success, racking up more than three million concurrent players across all platforms in its first week on the market. It features Sun Wukong, a sword-wielding mythical monkey who battles demons and foxes from Buddhist lore with human features.
Scenes were shot in 36 major locations across China, 27 of which are in the remote Shanxi province, which the South China Morning Post reported is now being flocked to by tourists to see the locations featured in the game.
