Wukong Studio CEO Questions The Game Awards Selection Criteria After Game Of The Year Miss, Reflecting On Pre-Written Acceptance Speech From Two Years Ago

Game Science CEO reflects on Black Myth: Wukong’s Game of the Year snub at The Game Awards, questioning selection criteria.

When Black Myth: Wukong launched earlier this year, it captivated players with its breathtaking visuals, dynamic combat, and a reimagining of the classic Journey to the West tale. The game received widespread acclaim and built immense anticipation, becoming one of the most talked-about titles of 2024.

However, controversy also shadowed its journey. Reports from IGN about Game Science’s troubling history, including allegations of sexism within the studio. At this year’s The Game Awards, Black Myth: Wukong was nominated for four major categories: Best Action Game, Best Art Direction, Best Game Direction, and the coveted Game of the Year.

The game won Best Action Game and the Player’s Voice award, the latter highlighting the game’s strong fan support. However, the Game of the Year title ultimately went to Astro Bot, leaving Game Science’s CEO Feng Ji questioning the selection process.

Game Science CEO On Black Myth: Wukong’s Game Of The Year Miss

In a heartfelt post on Weibo, Feng Ji addressed the outcome of The Game Awards, sharing his thoughts on Black Myth: Wukong’s journey and its Game of the Year snub. His reflections ranged from pride in the team’s achievements to frustration over the lack of clarity in judging criteria.

Feng began by acknowledging the significance of Black Myth: Wukong’s nominations, noting that it was the first Chinese game to achieve such recognition at The Game Awards. While he expressed pride in winning two awards, he admitted to feeling disappointed by the Game of the Year miss.

“The awards ceremony coincided with the release of a fairly significant update for us. Personally, this seven-year-long project has now officially come to an end. The four nominations for Black Myth: Wukong—Best Action Game, Best Art Direction, Best Game Direction, and Game of the Year—are the first-ever for a Chinese game.

“We ended up winning Best Action Game and Players’ Voice, and securing the Players’ Voice award especially brought me comfort.“

One of Feng’s key points of contention was the lack of transparency in how Game of the Year is judged. He revealed that he had even prepared an acceptance speech two years in advance, fully confident in the game’s potential.

“That said, I must admit I feel a mix of disappointment, regret, and, ultimately, acceptance. The games nominated this year were all outstanding, but honestly, I have no idea what the criteria for Game of the Year were this time. I came all the way here for fr***ing nothing,” he added.

“Since yesterday, I’ve also seen a lot of strong dissatisfaction from players expressed online—mostly through humor and memes, which were hilarious. I completely understand these feelings of discontent and frustration because I know they don’t stem from pain or malice, but from self-esteem and confidence.

“It’s normal to feel a little indignant when such confidence isn’t recognized. To be honest, I’m even more confident than you guys (just check my first answer on Zhihu). I wrote my Game of the Year acceptance speech two years ago, and now it’s gathering dust.”

Feng also addressed those who viewed Black Myth: Wukong’s success as a rare, unrepeatable event. He argued that the game’s achievements were not accidental but the result of China’s cultural depth, talent, and evolving gaming industry.

“Some people say that for a team that had never made a single-player game, achieving such success on its first attempt is a rare fluke, unlikely to be replicated in the future.

“But I want to say this wasn’t some fluke. It was the inevitable result of Chinese culture, Chinese talent, China’s business environment, and China’s gaming industry colliding with the global player community.

“Had we not seen this ‘inevitability’ early on, we wouldn’t have been so resolute in our choice. This wasn’t a gamble; it was going with the flow of a rising trend.

“Game Science was fortunate to participate in and witness the beginning of this trend. I believe that in the future, more of our peers will bring higher-quality, more engaging, and more confident Chinese stories to the world.”

We recommend reading the full seven-part statement shared by Feng on his personal account here. Black Myth: Wukong currently holds a solid score of 81 on Metacritic and 82 on OpenCritic.

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