In recent years, there has been a great interest from Western publishers to support and produce Asian projects that go beyond the Land of the Rising Sun. China, South Korea, or India are some of the countries where major players on this side of the globe have sought future AAA successes that move away from the trend of mobile or multiplayer projects. One of the clearest examples is Black Myth: Wukong, although on the horizon we have games like Phantom Blade Zero waiting their turn. However, S-Game, the developers of this RPG, have made it clear that while Game Science’s game has been a success, Wukong has not reinvented the wheel and games like theirs have also been in development for years.
In an interview with 4Gamer, Michael Chang, vice president and art director of the game, explained that Chinese developers have always been influenced by Japanese and Western console games, aspiring to create their own versions. “Chinese developers did not just come together now and decide to launch console games at the same time; we have wanted to make this kind of games for years. It’s just that now, at this exact moment, we can finally release high-quality games like this,” Chang stated. According to the developers, various Chinese companies are working on new console titles, creating an environment of support and collaboration among them.
Several factors have led to the existence of games like Phantom Blade 0
On the other hand, Lian Qiwei mentioned that two factors have allowed conditions in China to be more conducive to independent AAA game development. Firstly, the Chinese market has been a major consumer of video games, generating between 30 and 40% of the sales of the most important titles, regardless of their theme. This has been evidenced with games like Cyberpunk 2077 and Elden Ring, which have found a solid market in the country.
Image | S-Game
The second factor is the accumulated experience of Chinese developers in subcontracted development work for foreign studios. Although the country lacks significant experience in console game development, it has gained extensive knowledge in the field of mobile games in the last few decades. This experience is now being applied to the development of PC and console titles, contributing to the maturity of the industrial chain in China.
While S-Game does not want to overshadow the success of Black Myth: Wukong, a Chinese project that has united its players under a strong cultural identity and has captivated Western audiences, they do want to make it clear that Phantom Blade Zero is not just another one, and they hope it is not treated as a minor release. With a focus on high quality and a commitment to narrative and gameplay, the Chinese team expects to release the game in 2025 or later, on a date to be determined.
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