Despite being released only a month and a half ago, the Chinese action-adventure game Black Myth: Wukong continues to achieve astounding success both critically and commercially. The game has surpassed the 20 million copies sold mark in just its first month, proving itself as one of the standout releases of the year, with many expecting it to compete for numerous major awards.
In a surprising turn for many, Black Myth: Wukong was absent from the “GOTY” nominations or Game of the Year award for the Golden Joystick Awards in the upcoming 2024 edition. It was only nominated for a single award, “Best Visual Design.” Despite the critical and commercial success of the game, this absence raised many questions about the criteria for selecting nominated games for such a key event.
Black Myth: Wukong stands out with its pure Chinese character, inspired by the classic novel “Journey to the West” and focusing on Chinese myths and culture. This character may be the main reason behind its absence from the Golden Joystick Awards, as the awards usually focus on games that offer more diverse and inclusive themes and characters as seen in several other games.
If these suspicions are true, the issue of “diversity and inclusion” seems to be becoming a cornerstone for the video game industry, as many voices are calling for the representation of various cultures, races, and genders in games. The absence of Black Myth: Wukong from the Golden Joystick Awards could be a subtle message from the awards organizers about the importance of adopting such principles that do not align with the culture of many peoples.
It is truly unfortunate that a successful game like Black Myth: Wukong is absent from competing for a significant award at the Golden Joystick Awards 2024. This raises questions about the clarity of the criteria for selecting nominated games, and whether games are evaluated based solely on their artistic and technical quality or if factors like “diversity and inclusion” or what is commonly known as an “agenda” play a role in that.