The title Wuchang: Fallen Feathers, which has marked a milestone within the new wave of Chinese video games, has been acquired by the Italian company Digital Bros. for an amount of RMB 32 million (approximately $4.7 million). This game, developed by the Chinese studio Leenzee, managed to sell over a million copies and generated revenues exceeding €30 million ($35 million) since its launch, even positioning itself at the top of the Steam sales chart upon its debut.
Wuchang now speaks Italian
Despite its initial forecasts, the success of Wuchang: Fallen Feathers has been overshadowed by internal development issues. It has been reported that the game’s director, Xia Siyuan, was fired and the development team was disbanded after expressions of pressure from Chinese players. This occurred following the release of a controversial patch that significantly changed the game’s narrative and characters, causing confusion among the player community.
However, the analysis of experts like Zhao Yi highlights a positive aspect: the advancement in graphic quality, audio, and interactive design of Chinese developers. Zhao points out that titles like Black Myth: Wukong are competing internationally, demonstrating the local industry’s ability to face global blockbusters. Despite the challenges they have faced, the initial success of Wuchang evidences the long-term potential of Chinese-origin video games in the global market.
The acquisition by Digital Bros. could be interpreted as a vote of confidence in the future of Wuchang, despite the adversities. The transaction continues to consolidate the trend of foreign companies showing interest in video game properties developed in China, a constantly evolving market.
