The action role-playing game “Black Myth Wukong” developed by Chinese studio Game Science is causing a stir not only because of its impressive graphics, but also because of its curious guidelines for content creators. According to a document circulating online, anyone who wants to stream “Wukong” or upload it to YouTube is not allowed to engage in “feminist propaganda” or criticize China’s gaming industry or politics.
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Many sources, including this one forbes magazine And That Gaming Medium GLHFThe authenticity of the document has been confirmed. Apparently the guidelines were only sent to content creators. So game journalists have not encountered any such requirements. Heise Online was not sampled by Chinese studios.
“Enjoy the game,” says the English-language document, which was apparently sent by co-publisher Hero Games. A long list of forbidden topics follows: Insults to other streamers and generally offensive language are prohibited, as are politics, violence, nudity, and “feminist propaganda”. The studio has a long history of sexism, Gaming magazine IGN wrote in a report,
“Covid” is banned
In general, the developers don’t want “negative discourse” to be promoted in “Wukong” streams. Game science is also no fun when it comes to COVID: the word “COVID-19” is not allowed to be used in “Wukong” streams, nor are the words “quarantine” and “isolation”. Finally, streamers are not allowed to comment on news about China, the Chinese gaming industry, or Chinese politics.
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Trailer of “Black Myth: Wukong” (Source: Black Myth: Wukong)
The list of content guidelines, which is strange from a Western point of view, is reminiscent of the requirements imposed on the Chinese gaming industry by its government: “feminine” or “dehumanizing” content and “glorification of money” are prohibited in Chinese video games. For example, the Chinese government insisted on this a few years ago.
It is not uncommon for content creators to receive brief guidelines for their game code. As a rule, these guidelines are limited to avoiding breaking restrictions and getting spoiled quickly.
Game Science is a Shenzhen-based studio founded in 2014 that is publishing its first title “Wukong” internationally. So far, neither the Chinese studio nor publisher Hero Games have commented on the guidelines for content creators. “Black Myth Wukong”, an action role-playing game based on Chinese mythology, will be released on August 20.
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