This video screenshot taken on Aug. 20, 2025 shows the release of "Black Myth: Zhong Kui" at the opening ceremony of Gamescom 2025 in Cologne, Germany. [Photo handout via Xinhua]

HANGZHOU -- Game Science surprised many again on Aug 20 -- exactly one year after it released the Chinese hit AAA video game "Black Myth: Wukong." It unveiled a teaser trailer for its next title, "Black Myth: Zhong Kui," drawing on the legendary ghost catcher of Taoist folklore.

Zhong Kui, shown in the trailer with fierce eyes and a thick beard, is set to become the Black Myth series' second unforgettable role-playing hero. The title joins a broader wave of Chinese AAA games and films like "Ne Zha 2" that repackage ancient stories with market-oriented development and cutting-edge technology. Together, they showcase China's creative prowess and are reshaping global perceptions of the country's cultural and creative industries.

The series' first title "Black Myth: Wukong" is a record-breaking action game that sold over 10 million copies across all platforms in just three days after its launch last August. The game won Best Action Game and the Player's Voice award at The Game Awards 2024, was named by Time magazine as one of the year's best video games, and picked up multiple Golden Joystick awards.

While acknowledging that creating downloadable content (DLC) of Wukong would have been "a safe and clear choice," Feng Ji, founder and CEO of Game Science, explained in a personal Weibo post that he and co-founder Yang Qi were instead drawn to a fresh creative direction -- deciding to make a new "Black Myth" game with "new heroes, new gameplay, new visuals, new technology and new stories."

The official trailer of "Black Myth: Zhong Kui" released on YouTube by IGN, a video gaming and entertainment media website, has garnered over 500,000 views and nearly 2,000 comments in less than 10 hours.

"The Chinese folklore is insanely deep. We are potentially blessed with dozens of Wukong-level games," read a comment.

According to Game Science, "Black Myth: Zhong Kui" will remain a single-player action role-playing game rooted in China's ancient myths and folk tales. It is planned for PC and major consoles, though no release date has been announced.

"This new project has officially entered development," Game Science announced in a statement, assuring fans it aims to deliver "refreshing changes and novelty" while reflecting on the shortcomings of its first project. The studio also had a clear message for fans of the original Wukong game: "The Journey to the West will not end here."

"I can't wait to play it. The first Black Myth game was amazing. This anthology series will be great. I can't wait to play through other Chinese folklore and mythology," commented another netizen.

The trailer was also unveiled as the show-stopping finale of the Gamescom 2025 opening ceremony in Cologne, Germany. After the trailer was announced, related concept stocks on China's A-share market gained momentum, signaling that the "Black Myth" franchise has grown beyond a game to become a catalyst for investor confidence and a driving force across the wider cultural and media industry.

The announcement of "Black Myth: Zhong Kui" comes just weeks after the July 24 launch of "Wuchang: Fallen Feathers," another highly anticipated Chinese AAA title inspired by the Shu civilization. The game faced criticism at launch over technical glitches and optimization issues, but after a series of developer updates, its reception on Steam has gradually improved, with its approval rating rising to 45 percent and now marked as "Mixed."

Wednesday also saw the launch of the Xbox Series X and S versions of "Black Myth: Wukong." According to industry observers, with the successive launches of "Black Myth: Wukong" and "Wuchang: Fallen Feathers," China's single-player games are making inroads into global markets through high production values and diverse genres. For international players, these titles offer a gateway into China's unique aesthetic and rich ancient mythology.

Data from the China Audio-Video and Digital Publishing Association shows that China's self-developed game products raked in overseas revenues of 18.56 billion U.S. dollars in 2024, up 13.39 percent from the previous year.

"I'm glad China is stepping up its AAA games. I hope this brings more of an influx of Chinese-themed games. Chinese fantasy is lowkey slept on and could make firegames," read a YouTube comment.