Black Myth: Wukong developer Game Science has reportedly banned content creators who were given a game key from including politics and feminism among other things in their content surrounding the game.
A screenshot from Black Myth: Wukong (2024), Game Science
A screenshot of what appears to be some sort of content agreement was shared to X by legal analyst Andrew Esquire aka Legal Mindset.
The agreement informs content creators that they cannot “insult other influencers or players” and that they are not to “use any offensive language/humor.”
It then notes that they cannot “include politics, violence, nudity, feminist propaganda, fetishization, and other content that instigates negative discourse.”
Furthermore, it also bans “trigger words such as ‘quarantine’ or ‘isolation’ or ‘COVID-19’ and prevents creators from discussing “content related to China’s game industry policies, news, etc.”
Black Myth Wukong explicitly banning feminist propaganda amongst other things
Thoughts? pic.twitter.com/9hlULnpL77
— Legal Mindset (@TheLegalMindset) August 17, 2024
READ: ‘Black Myth Wukong’ Goes To Top of Steam Wishlist Charts Despite IGN Accusing Developer Of “Sexism”
Black Myth: Wukong and its developers at Game Science have been subject to a smear campaign from numerous media outlets including IGN, The Guardian, and Game Spot.
IGN’s Rebekah Valentine and Khee Hoon Chan initially ran an article accusing the developers of sexism. The duo reported, ““Several posts have surfaced from Chinese social media site Weibo, written by individuals from the studio, that contain multiple references to [anatomy] and sexual innuendos.”
They also stated, “This was coupled by recruitment posters by the studio, produced in 2015, which featured images and headlines that point to a culture of ingrained sexism in Game Science.”
The article provides no evidence of these headlines or posters. However, it does give descriptions, “In one poster, a risque illustration that resembles the artwork of Austrian artist Egon Schiele is accompanied by a header that says ‘Mandatory self-pleasure’. In another poster that featured the rear view of a woman, the ad reads, ‘Don’t screw your colleagues’. In the same ad, friends with benefits were also implied as an office perk. And a third poster, featuring a dumbbell, is far more pointed, with the ad stating that ‘fatties should f**k off.’”
A screenshot from Black Myth: Wukong (2024), Game Science
The report also claimed that co-founder of Game Science Feng Ji made inappropriate comments in a post to Chinese social media website Weibo and explained it as “I know, you just happen to be a little depressed. It is my honor to provide you with some comfort in the lower half of your body.”
IGN’s translation of Feng Ji’s Weibo post
The report also took issue with the developer’s co-founder and lead artist Yang Qi declaring that men and women are biologically different. The report alleged that he wrote, that men “were holding a heavy machine gun and shooting at governments in your dreams, what the ladies are dreaming about are bags that would make their friends jealous.” He then concluded the post by suggesting that he would need to put on silk stockings and suspenders to work, brew chrysanthemum tea, and put a humidifier on his table to make ‘soft and effeminate things’.”
IGN’s translation of Yang Qi’s social media post
However, these translations have been called into question. A clip from Asmongold Clips notes that Feng Ji’s comment “is a used idiom in the Chinese language. As a colloquial expression used humorously or sarcastically to describe a situation where excessive flattery or sycophancy has an overwhelming and paralyzing effect on someone. The use of such metaphors can be found in informal speech on social media.”
The video also alleges that the other posts were translated “in the most uncharitable way possible” in order to push the narrative that the developer is sexist and misogynist.
Nevertheless, IGN doubled down on the accusations as part of their Black Myth: Wukong first impression article. Valentine wrote a section addressing the outlet’s report from November.
She stated, “Last year, we published a comprehensive report on IGN detailing a number of sexist and inappropriate remarks made by multiple developers of Black Myth: Wukong, including those in leadership roles at Game Science. As of the publication of this preview, Game Science has yet to provide any response or statement addressing our report or their past remarks.”
After detailing how she enjoyed the preview of the game at Summer Game Fest, Valentine added, “It is also true that several of the people who are making it have made disparaging remarks about women, and don’t seem to be interested either in retracting their past statements, or in supporting the numerous women who are being harassed in online conversations about Black Myth: Wukong purely for expressing their discomfort with those statements. Both of these ideas can exist simultaneously – what audiences want to do about this conflict is ultimately their choice.”
She then concluded, “One last note – I didn’t see any women or femme-coded characters in the demo, and I was able to confirm from Game Science that there were none present in the section of the game presented to the press. There will be women in the final game, but for now it is impossible to really comment on whether or not Game Science developers’ expressed beliefs permeate Black Myth: Wukong in a meaningful way.”
A screenshot from Black Myth: Wukong (2024), Game Science
These accusations were repeated in Tom Regan’s coverage of the game in The Guardian. Regan wrote, “I am, unfortunately, met with very little honest communication when I bring up a report from IGN, which related alleged sexist comments from multiple developers at Game Science, as well as those in leadership roles.”
He then referenced an interaction with one of Game Science’s co-founder, who he refers to as Ted, “I present Ted with the opportunity to address the claims of misogynistic posts, and whether he feels that they represent Game Science’s values. Instead, I am shut down with a hasty “no comment” from their UK PR representative, and then, after a long wait, given a longer statement of “no comment” via Ted’s translator.”
“I am then told that Game Science’s US PR agency will follow up later with a prepared statement, only to be sent the following: “Game Science is focused on the demo at this time and will only answer questions related to gameplay,” Regan wrote.
A screenshot from Black Myth: Wukong (2024), Game Science
GameSpot also pushed these claims in a recent video titled “Black Myth: Wukong Everything To Know.” In the video, the narrator states, “It should be noted that allegations against Game Science have surfaced over the years via reports of the developer fostering a sexist culture and work environment with numerous women in the Chinese gaming community highlighting these problems within the studio as well as backlash following crude and controversial social media post by Game Science co-founder Ji Feng.”
It adds, “As of this recording, Game Science has repeatedly refused to comment on the allegations although it has removed some of the offensive wording in its marketing materials that has contributed to the misogynistic culture.” The narrator then directs reads Tom Regan’s aforementioned coverage in The Guardian.
Despite these smears, gamers have shown intense interest in the game. The game is the most wishlisted upcoming game on SteamDB’s charts. It has over 623,000 followers more than double the second most wishlisted game Hollow Knight: Silksong, which has 296,424 followers.
SteamDB’s Most Wishlisted Upcoming Steam Games list
Furthermore, the game’s benchmark tool hit 85,277 peak concurrent players when it launched on Steam earlier this week. The benchmark tool is non-playable and allows players to check their “PC’s hardware performance and compatibility when running the game” and allows players to “customize benchmark settings to preview game visuals and performance under different graphics options.”
Black Myth Wukong Steam charts via SteamDB
What do you make of this alleged content creator agreement that bans politics and feminism?
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