Long before Black Myth: Wukong won top honors at the 2024 Game Awards, Chinese culture had already made a lasting impact on the gaming world. From ancient mythology to martial arts, Chinese influences are deeply woven into some of the most popular video game franchises.
Even the name of Atari, one of the earliest video game companies, traces back to the ancient Chinese board game weiqi (known as Go in Japan). Co-founder Nolan Bushnell, fascinated by its complexity, borrowed the term “atari,” which means an impending capture, similar to “check” in chess.
Games drawing from Chinese history and legends have been particularly popular, including Black Myth: Wukong, which is based on Journey to the West, one of China’s four great literary classics. The Romance of the Three Kingdoms series, inspired by another classic Chinese novel, has captivated strategy game fans since its debut in 1985, allowing players to relive the political intrigue and warfare of the Han dynasty’s collapse. Its action-packed spin-off, Dynasty Warriors, takes a more fast-paced approach, letting players control legendary figures such as Lu Bu and Zhuge Liang as they battle through vast armies.
Chinese martial arts have also left their mark on the gaming world. Street Fighter introduced Chun-Li in 1991, the first female fighter in the series, who became an enduring icon with her lightning-fast kicks and traditional cheongsam attire. Other characters, like Fei Long, pay homage to Bruce Lee, further cementing the influence of Chinese martial arts in fighting games.
Even Pokémon incorporates elements from Chinese culture. The legendary Arcanine is based on shishi (Chinese guardian lions), while Ninetales draws inspiration from the mythical nine-tailed fox. Hitmonlee and Hitmonchan are believed to be tributes to martial arts legends Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan.
Mahjong, originating in Qing dynasty China, has also found its way into digital gaming. While traditional versions exist, many adaptations take creative liberties, such as Shanghai, released in 1986, which reimagines mahjong as a tile-matching puzzle rather than a competitive strategy game.
With the success of Black Myth: Wukong and films like Nezha 2, which is based on the 16th-century novel The Investiture of the Gods, the gaming industry is poised to embrace even more stories from Chinese history and folklore. As global interest in these narratives grows, expect future video games to bring even more legendary tales to life.
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