Game Science

Game Science was founded on 13 June 2014.{{cite web |title=Game Science |url=https://www.gematsu.com/companies/game-science |website=Gematsu |date= |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250124200919/https://www.gematsu.com/companies/game-science |archive-date=24 January 2025}} The seven founding members were former Tencent employees who worked as developers on the massively multiplayer online game Asura at the company.

File:Feng Ji, founder and CEO of Game Science, about Shaanxi storytellers.png

At the time of their studio's formation, China's mobile games market was expanding, so they pivoted toward mobile development to stay afloat as a studio.{{cite web |title=《黑神话：悟空》幕后丨游戏科学十年：直面天命，终抵灵山|url=https://youxiputao.com/article/26728 |website=游戏葡萄 |language=zh |date=22 August 2024 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20241216054509/https://youxiputao.com/article/26728 |archivedate=16 December 2024}} In collaboration with publisher NetEase, Game Science developed the mobile game 100 Heroes, which was inspired by the Romance of the Three Kingdoms. The game attracted 500 thousand players in the first month and nearly 800 thousand players in its first year. Yang Qi proposed a single-player game as their next project, but the idea was shelved due to the high costs and risks involved for a newly established studio. Instead, Game Science developed the mobile game Art of War: Red Tides. In 2019, the game was acquired by Chaoxi Guangnian, a gaming subsidiary of ByteDance.{{cite web |author1=王永昂 |title=触乐夜话：听了一期播客 |url=https://www.chuapp.com/?c=Article&a=index&id=289710 |website=Chuapp |language=zh |date=22 December 2023}} Lilith Games CEO Wang Xiwen—a former Tencent colleague of Game Science CEO Feng Ji—introduced Feng and Hero Games CEO Daniel Wu to each other, which ultimately led to Wu investing in Game Science.

From the outset, Game Science committed to pursuing a vision of creating games that move and resonate with them personally—a principle affirmed on their website. During a speech at an art exhibition in April 2025, Feng Ji remarked that this was a core value of the studio. He explained that the underlying idea is that a project can progress effectively if game developers, when they are players themselves, deeply understand both the work and its players, but that they only represent themselves and thus must constantly experiment to find the intersection between themselves and players.游戏葡萄. Reproduced in {{cite web |title=我在《黑神话：悟空》艺术展，被冯骥和杨奇震撼到了 |url=https://news.qq.com/rain/a/20250410A0A7KV00 |website=Tencent QQ |language=zh |date=10 April 2025}}

The studio's philosophy also retained the ideas reflected in Feng Ji's 2007 article "Who Murdered Our Games?" (谁谋杀了我们的游戏),{{cite web |title=《黑神话：悟空》，靠什么让中外玩家争当"天命人"？ |url=https://www.yicai.com/news/102251748.html |website=Yicai |language=zh |date=29 August 2024}} which offers a critique from the perspective of a game planner, arguing that many games fail before they even leave the development stage, these failures occur when development teams lack excitement for the games they are creating, the industry has fostered a mentality where players are treated like livestock in the pursuit for engagement and profit, and the industry has a dark side characterized by capital-driven practices that alienate players and degrade their experiences.{{cite web |title=《黑神话：悟空》制作人冯骥2007年旧文：谁谋杀了我们的游戏 |url=https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s?__biz=MjM5OTc2ODUxMw==&mid=2649942027&idx=2&sn=4547ccb71c3b1a094c9fb4c30d992088 |website=微信公众平台 |date=20 August 2024 |language=zh}} Cited in {{cite web |title=《黑神话：悟空》幕后丨游戏科学十年：直面天命，终抵灵山|url=https://youxiputao.com/article/26728 |website=游戏葡萄 |language=zh |date=22 August 2024 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20241216054509/https://youxiputao.com/article/26728 |archivedate=16 December 2024}} In a 2024 interview with China Central Television, Feng Ji discussed this perspective, explaining that game developers should focus on gameplay and storytelling to captivate players but must remain cautious not to fall into capital-driven practices, emphasizing that a reasonable standard is whether you would recommend your children, friends, and relatives to play your games with peace of mind.{{cite web |author1=China Central Television |title="要做能让自己孩子放心玩的游戏！"总台专访《黑神话》制作人冯骥 |url=https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s?__biz=MTI0MDU3NDYwMQ%3D%3D&mid=2657700411&idx=1&sn=50f7cce0e90571b92fd2819614c0e907 |website=WeChat |language=zh |date=15 October 2024}} Cited in {{cite web |title=央视又又又请"悟空亮剑"，冯骥：中国人讲的故事，就是中国故事！ |url=http://www.gamelook.com.cn/2024/10/555963/ |website=GameLook |language=zh |date=16 October 2024}}

After the mobile games 100 Heroes and Art of War: Red Tides, Game Science started the development of Black Myth: Wukong in 2018.{{Cite web |last=Ye |first=Josh |date=21 August 2020 |title= Black Myth: Wukong martial arts title in race to become China's first AAA game |url=https://www.scmp.com/tech/gear/article/3098309/black-myth-wukong-martial-arts-title-race-become-chinas-first-aaa-game |access-date=18 August 2024 |website=South China Morning Post |archive-date=24 August 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200824063311/https://www.scmp.com/tech/gear/article/3098309/black-myth-wukong-martial-arts-title-race-become-chinas-first-aaa-game |url-status=live }} The decision to develop an AAA game, according to operations director Lan Weiyi, came after the realization that there were more Steam users from China than the United States, indicating that China's premium games market was undergoing a transformation. Before the development on the game began, Game Science conducted a company-wide survey that revealed that action role-playing games were the games with the longest playtimes on Steam among the staff, which led to a focus on the action role-playing genre for both the studio and the Black Myth project.{{cite web |author1=张明萌 |title=缔造黑神话——独家专访《黑神话：悟空》制作团队 |url=https://www.infzm.com/contents/277684 |website=南方周末 |date=23 August 2024 |language=zh}} Reproduced in {{cite web |title=缔造黑神话——独家专访《黑神话：悟空》制作团队 |url=https://new.qq.com/rain/a/20240823A0AFY100 |website=Tencent QQ |language=zh |date=24 August 2024 | archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20241219125835/https://news.qq.com/rain/a/20240823A0AFY100 |archivedate=19 December 2024}} Feng Ji said that this approach would allow them to better understand and empathize with players, because they themselves would be players of the types of games they were creating. Game Science decided to have a team focused on mobile games and a team focused on single-player games.{{cite web |author1=祝佳音 |title=如今我风华正茂：游戏科学是如何制造《黑神话：悟空》的 - 触乐 |url=https://www.chuapp.com/article/287425.html |website=Chuapp |date=21 August 2020 |access-date=5 September 2024 |archive-date=2 September 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240902015824/https://www.chuapp.com/article/287425.html |url-status=live }} Considering the differences in development cycles between these two kinds of games, Feng Ji and Yang Ji sought to find a new environment appropriate for a team working on single-player games. Ultimately, the Black Myth development team moved from Shenzhen to Hangzhou due to its "slower pace and lower living costs".

In August 2020, Game Science released the first trailer of Black Myth: Wukong as a way to recruit more talent for the company.{{Cite web |last=Young |first=Charles |date=11 September 2020 |title=Black Myth: Wukong - The World Exclusive Story Behind the Breakout Action-RPG |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/black-myth-wukong-making-of-behind-the-scenes-exclusive |access-date=18 August 2024 |website=IGN |archive-date=11 September 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200911091611/https://www.ign.com/articles/black-myth-wukong-making-of-behind-the-scenes-exclusive |url-status=live }} At the time, the game's development team had 30 members. Due to the trailer going viral, Game Science received over 10,000 resumes. Some were from AAA gaming companies with candidates even from outside of China who were willing to apply for a Chinese working visa at their own cost. A day after the trailer's release, there were people showing up at the door of the company asking for a job. The development team expanded to 140 employees according to the game's credit list.

The South China Morning Post reports that Hero Games acquired a 19% stake in Game Science through its wholly-owned subsidiary Tianjin Hero Financial Holding Technology in 2017, but sold the stake in 2022 with payment partly outstanding.{{Cite web |last1=Cao |first1=Ann |last2=Le |first2=Kelly |date=2024-08-22 |title=Black Myth: Wukong's popularity brings unexpected windfall, fame to low-profile developer |url=https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3275526/black-myth-wukongs-popularity-brings-unexpected-windfall-fame-low-profile-developer |access-date=2024-08-23 |website=South China Morning Post |archive-date=25 August 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240825042638/https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3275526/black-myth-wukongs-popularity-brings-unexpected-windfall-fame-low-profile-developer |url-status=live }} Reproduced in {{cite web |title=Black Myth: Wukong's popularity brings unexpected windfall, fame to low-profile developer |url=https://finance.yahoo.com/news/black-myth-wukongs-popularity-brings-093000037.html |website=Yahoo Finance |date=22 August 2024}} When asked about their ownership and relationship by VentureBeat, Hero Games chairman Dino Ying said that he could not comment on that.{{cite web |last1=Takahashi |first1=Dean |title=Dino Ying stayed the course on esports and Black Myth: Wukong {{!}} interview |url=https://venturebeat.com/games/dino-ying-stayed-the-course-on-esports-and-black-myth-wukong-interview/ |website=VentureBeat |date=3 December 2024}} As reported in March 2021, Tencent obtained a total stake of 5% in Game Science.{{cite web |last1=Zhang |first1=Zacky |title=腾讯投资《黑神话：悟空》开发商 |url=https://www.ign.com.cn/blackmythwukong/32034/news/teng-xun-tou-zi-hei-shen-hua-wu-kong-kai-fa-shang |website=IGN中国 |language=zh |date=29 March 2021}} They aimed to help their former employees on some projects, but committed to not interfering with the operation and decision-making of Game Science.{{Cite web |last=Jia |first=Liu |date=30 March 2021 |title=[Exclusive] Tencent Lifts Stake in Indie Studio Game Science to Draw Closer, Source Says |url=https://www.yicaiglobal.com/news/exclusive-china-tencent-boosts-stake-in-indie-studio-game-science-for-cooperation- |access-date=18 August 2024 |website=www.yicaiglobal.com |archive-date=18 August 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240818035429/https://www.yicaiglobal.com/news/exclusive-china-tencent-boosts-stake-in-indie-studio-game-science-for-cooperation- |url-status=live }}

In 2023, IGN released a report that alleged a history of sexism within the company, citing as evidence screenshots of personal posts by company figures in Chinese social media and suggestive hiring posters from 2015.{{Cite web |last1=Valentine |first1=Rebekah |last2=Chan |first2=Khee Hoon |date=20 November 2023 |title=How Black Myth: Wukong Developer's History of Sexism Is Complicating its Journey to the West |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/how-black-myth-wukong-developers-history-of-sexism-is-complicating-its-journey-to-the-west |access-date=18 August 2024 |website=IGN |archive-date=17 August 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240817003725/https://www.ign.com/articles/how-black-myth-wukong-developers-history-of-sexism-is-complicating-its-journey-to-the-west |url-status=live }} Chinese outlets HK01, an online news portal, and GameLook, a game-industry research website, criticized IGN's report, arguing that the article uses examples taken out of context and vulgar but not sexist.{{cite web |title=《黑神话：悟空》被外媒锤了，仗义执言还是别有用心？ |url=http://www.gamelook.com.cn/2023/11/532365 |website=GameLook|language=Chinese|trans-title='Black Myth: Wukong' criticized by foreign media. Are they speaking out for justice or do they have ulterior motives? |date=23 November 2023 |archiveurl=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20240827000841/http://www.gamelook.com.cn/2023/11/532365 |archivedate=27 August 2024 |access-date=19 December 2024 |url-status=live }} HK01 and Gamebase reported that the relevant posts had been mistranslated.{{cite web |author1=和良 |title=IGN持續追討《黑神話：悟空》開發團隊，要求遊戲科學對性別歧視做出回應 |url=https://news.gamebase.com.tw/news/detail/99424392 |website=Gamebase |language=zh |date=17 June 2024 | publisher=Softstar}} HK01 also reported that the anonymous criticism quoted by the article cannot be verified.{{cite web |author=林卓恆 | title=傳黑神話悟空遭政確團體逼害小島秀夫都中槍｜因拒交5500萬顧問費 |url=https://www.hk01.com/%E9%81%8A%E6%88%B2%E5%8B%95%E6%BC%AB/1029496/%E5%82%B3%E9%BB%91%E7%A5%9E%E8%A9%B1%E6%82%9F%E7%A9%BA%E9%81%AD%E6%94%BF%E7%A2%BA%E5%9C%98%E9%AB%94%E9%80%BC%E5%AE%B3%E5%B0%8F%E5%B3%B6%E7%A7%80%E5%A4%AB%E9%83%BD%E4%B8%AD%E6%A7%8D-%E5%9B%A0%E6%8B%92%E4%BA%A45500%E8%90%AC%E9%A1%A7%E5%95%8F%E8%B2%BB |website=HK01|trans-title=Black Myth: Wukong developers rumored to be persecuted by political groups, with Hideo Kojima caught in crossfire - due to refusal to pay 55 million consulting fee |date=17 June 2024 | archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20240823010436/https://www.hk01.com/%E9%81%8A%E6%88%B2%E5%8B%95%E6%BC%AB/1029496/%E5%82%B3%E9%BB%91%E7%A5%9E%E8%A9%B1%E6%82%9F%E7%A9%BA%E9%81%AD%E6%94%BF%E7%A2%BA%E5%9C%98%E9%AB%94%E9%80%BC%E5%AE%B3%E5%B0%8F%E5%B3%B6%E7%A7%80%E5%A4%AB%E9%83%BD%E4%B8%AD%E6%A7%8D-%E5%9B%A0%E6%8B%92%E4%BA%A45500%E8%90%AC%E9%A1%A7%E5%95%8F%E8%B2%BB | archivedate=23 August 2024 |url-status=live |language=zh |access-date=19 December 2024 }} Game Science declined to address questions about the allegations.{{Citation |last=Regan |first=Tom |title=Black Myth: Wukong – the summer's most exciting, and most controversial, video game |date=2024-07-25 |work=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/games/article/2024/jul/25/black-myth-wukong-the-summers-most-exciting-and-most-controversial-video-game |access-date=2024-11-13 |issn=0261-3077}}{{Cite web |last=Valentine |first=Rebekah |date=17 June 2024 |title=About Our Report From Last Year |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/black-myth-wukong-hands-on-with-an-impressive-first-2-hours |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240819224343/https://www.ign.com/articles/black-myth-wukong-hands-on-with-an-impressive-first-2-hours |archive-date=19 August 2024 |access-date=20 August 2024 |website=IGN }}{{Cite web |last=Fenlon |first=Wes |date=20 August 2024 |title=We asked Black Myth: Wukong's developer about the controversy over its founders' past sexist remarks, but Game Science's only reply was 'No comment' |url=https://www.pcgamer.com/games/action/black-myth-wukong-sexism-controversy-interview-no-comment/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240821182736/https://www.pcgamer.com/games/action/black-myth-wukong-sexism-controversy-interview-no-comment/ |archive-date=21 August 2024 |access-date=19 December 2024 |website=PC Gamer }} On social media, Khee Hoon Chan, a co-author of the IGN article, called for online piracy and made explicit comments toward Game Science.{{cite web |author1=MrSun |title=IGN撰稿人稱《黑神話:悟空》「要玩就玩盜版」，曾寫文批評遊戲科學性別歧視 |url=https://tw.news.yahoo.com/ign%E6%92%B0%E7%A8%BF%E4%BA%BA%E7%A8%B1%E3%80%8A%E9%BB%91%E7%A5%9E%E8%A9%B1%E6%82%9F%E7%A9%BA%E3%80%8B%E3%80%8C%E8%A6%81%E7%8E%A9%E5%B0%B1%E7%8E%A9%E7%9B%9C%E7%89%88%E3%80%8D%EF%BC%8C%E6%9B%BE%E5%AF%AB%E6%96%87%E6%89%B9%E8%A9%95%E9%81%8A%E6%88%B2%E7%A7%91%E5%AD%B8%E6%80%A7%E5%88%A5%E6%AD%A7%E8%A6%96-035618915.html |website=Yahoo News |language=zh |date=27 August 2024}}{{cite web |author1=城樂 |title=IGN撰稿人呼籲抵制《黑神話：悟空》 疑對性別歧視調查無效不滿 |url=https://www.litenews.hk/news/15940-ign%E6%92%B0%E7%A8%BF%E4%BA%BA%E5%91%BC%E7%B1%B2%E6%8A%B5%E5%88%B6%E3%80%8A%E9%BB%91%E7%A5%9E%E8%A9%B1%EF%BC%9A%E6%82%9F%E7%A9%BA%E3%80%8B-%E7%96%91%E5%B0%8D%E6%80%A7%E5%88%A5%E6%AD%A7%E8%A6%96%E8%AA%BF%E6%9F%A5%E7%84%A1%E6%95%88%E4%B8%8D%E6%BB%BF |website=香港輕新聞 Lite News Hong Kong |language=zh |date=2024-08-28}}{{cite web |author1=長濱睡睡 |title=黑神話:悟空｜IGN作者呼籲網民玩翻版｜疑不滿遊戲性別歧視仍大賣｜科技玩物 |url=https://www.hk01.com/%E6%95%B8%E7%A2%BC%E7%94%9F%E6%B4%BB/1051305/%E9%BB%91%E7%A5%9E%E8%A9%B1-%E6%82%9F%E7%A9%BA-ign%E4%BD%9C%E8%80%85%E5%91%BC%E7%B1%B2%E7%B6%B2%E6%B0%91%E7%8E%A9%E7%BF%BB%E7%89%88-%E7%96%91%E4%B8%8D%E6%BB%BF%E9%81%8A%E6%88%B2%E6%80%A7%E5%88%A5%E6%AD%A7%E8%A6%96%E4%BB%8D%E5%A4%A7%E8%B3%A3 |website=HK01 |language=zh |date=26 August 2024}} Hero Games' Dino Ying commented that Game Science tries not to get into distractions.

Black Myth: Wukong was released in August 2024 and sold 20 million units in its first month,{{cite web |last1=Bonelli |first1=John |title=Black Myth: Wukong Passes Yet Another Impressive Sales Milestone |url=https://gamerant.com/black-myth-wukong-sales-milestone-20-million/ |website=Game Rant |date=26 September 2024 |access-date=16 November 2024 |archive-date=27 September 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240927061454/https://gamerant.com/black-myth-wukong-sales-milestone-20-million/ |url-status=live }} making it one of the fastest-selling games of all time.{{cite web | url=https://venturebeat.com/games/black-myth-wukong-is-one-of-the-fastest-selling-games-of-all-time/ | title=Black Myth: Wukong is one of the fastest-selling games of all time | date=23 August 2024 | website=Venture Beat | last=Kaser | first=Rachel | access-date=16 November 2024 | archive-date=7 October 2024 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241007083022/https://venturebeat.com/games/black-myth-wukong-is-one-of-the-fastest-selling-games-of-all-time/ | url-status=live }}

In 2024, Game Science and the electric automobile maker BYD Company established a strategic partnership to digitize China's national treasures and landmarks to contribute to their protection and provide a scientific basis for future restoration work.{{cite web |title=比亚迪与《黑神话：悟空》达成全球战略合作 携手书写中国神话 |url=https://www.21jingji.com/article/20241021/herald/bebc2c61f723c3f86a999ef63239b852.html |website=21经济网 |language=zh |date=21 October 2024}}{{cite web |author1=周盛明 |title=助力古迹资产保护，比亚迪与《黑神话：悟空》达成全球战略合作 |url=https://www.guancha.cn/qiche/2024_10_20_752425.shtml |website=Guancha |language=zh |date=2024-10-20}} This involves 3D scanning in multiple provinces, starting in Shanxi which was heavily featured in Black Myth: Wukong, across all of China.

Game Science have made several video games.

In January 2025, Game Science published a Chinese New Year short film unveiling their official merchandise brand BLACK MYTH.{{cite web |title="黑神话"被写进政府工作报告！但它还带来了另一个"惊喜" |url=http://www.gamethk.com/news/detail/19124/1.html |website=GameTHK |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250122145247/http://www.gamethk.com/news/detail/19124/1.html |archive-date=22 January 2025 |language=zh |date=17 January 2025}}{{cite web |author1=chillcarl |title=黑神话衍生品牌是游科100%自主出品！原创设计曝光 |url=https://www.gamersky.com/news/202501/1871555.shtml |website=GamerSky |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250115025645/https://www.gamersky.com/news/202501/1871555.shtml |archive-date=15 January 2025 |language=zh |date=15 January 2025}}{{cite web |title=游戏科学卖货？公布衍生品牌"黑神话BLACKMYTH"，贺岁片暗示DLC |url=http://www.gamelook.com.cn/2025/01/562631 |website=GameLook |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250116162500/http://www.gamelook.com.cn/2025/01/562631 |archive-date=16 January 2025 |language=zh |date=16 January 2025}} The brand initially focuses on Black Myth: Wukong and aims to include other content in the long term. A dedicated team, separate from the game developers, was formed to handle the design, production, and operation of the brand.

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