The monkey king in Chinese mythology wows the RPG (role-playing game) world! Since its recent launch on August 20. Black Myth: Sun Wukong has swiftly become a video game hit across the internet.  

The immensely popular China’s first AAA action (RPG) marks a bold foray by Chinese game developers into a market long dominated by Western triple-A titles. Triple-A or AAA is an unofficial label that describes big-budget games that are thoroughly developed and released by major companies.

The single-player as the role of the Monkey King, or Sun Wukong, a key character from “Journey to the West,” a 16th-century Chinese novel that has been retold in literally hundreds of films, TV shows and cartoons. It sets the Monkey King on a 15-hour journey to defeat an array of monsters that threaten the world. Game Science, the developer, reportedly spent more than US$40 million to develop Black Myth.

Sales of Black Myth topped 10 million copies within just three days, sending total revenue from the title on video gaming platform Steam to more than US$400 million, according to data from market research company VG Insights.

The game’s successful debut is regarded a triumph for Chinese culture and technological progress. U.K. newspaper The Guardian described the game as having “fluid-feeling combat” and boasting “stunning visuals, cinematic beauty and a refreshing sense of speed.” It also summed up “Wukong” as “the summer’s most exciting and most controversial video game.”