Game Science
 | |
Native name | 深圳市游科互动科技有限公司 |
|---|---|
| Company type | Private |
| Industry | Video Games |
| Founded | June 13, 2014 |
| Founders | Feng Ji Yang Qi |
| Headquarters | Shenzhen, Guangdong, China |
Key people | Feng Ji (CEO) |
| Products | Black Myth: Wukong |
| Website | gamesci |
Game Science (Chinese: 游戏科学; pinyin: Yóuxì Kēxué) is a Chinese video game development and publishing company known for its first internationally-released premium game Black Myth: Wukong. It is headquartered in Shenzhen with an additional office in Hangzhou.
Background
In 2014, Game Science was founded in Shenzhen by seven ex-Tencent Games employees. They had previously worked on a free-to-play MMORPG called Asura Online which was based on The Legend of Wukong, an online novel adapted from Journey to the West.[1][2][3]
Game Science released the mobile games, 100 Heroes and Art of War: Red Tides before deciding to focus on the development Black Myth: Wukong in 2018. The decision to develop an AAA game came after the realisation that there were more Steam users from China than the US. At the time, the company had 13 employees, The project's development team moved from Shenzhen to Hangzhou due to “slower pace and lower living costs”.[1][2][3]
In August 2020, Game Science released the first trailer of Black Myth: Wukong as a way to recruit more talent for the company.[1] At the time, the game's development team had 30 members.[1] Due to the trailer going viral, Game Science received over 10,000 resumes.[1] Some were from AAA gaming companies with candidates even from outside of China who were willing to apply for a Chinese working visa at their own cost.[1] A day after the trailer's release, there were people showing up at the door of the company asking for a job.[1] The development team expanded to 140 employees according to the game's credit list.[3]
In March 2021, Tencent acquired a 5% minority stake in Game Science. Tencent stated it would only provide technical support and would not interfere with operation and decision-making of Game Science.[4]
Controversies
On 20 November 2023, IGN released an article that detailed alleged sexist incidents related to the company. Its co-founders were documented to have made comments on Chinese social media that were deemed as sexist. In addition, the company was said to have engaged in sexist behavior such as publishing several recruitment posters in 2015 that featured suggestive images.[5] Other articles previously highlighted these incidents too, but called them sexually explicit.[6][7]
The IGN article was criticized by the Hong Kong-based media outlet HK01, who noted that the article's examples had been mistranslated and taken out of context.[8] The Chinese video game website GameLook remarked that Game Science members may have been immature and indecent, but not misogynistic or sexist, noting how their comments have been taken out of context and people have been misled.[9] It was also reported that Khee Hoon Chan, the co-author of the IGN article, made X posts calling for people to not play or instead pirate Black Myth: Wukong, a game by Game Science.[10][11]
Game Science has repeatedly chosen not to answer questions about the report.[12][13]
Games and products
| Year | English | Chinese | Pinyin |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | 100 Heroes | 百將行 | Bǎi Jiāng Xíng |
| 2016 | Art of War: Red Tides | 战争艺术：赤潮 | Zhànzhēng Yìshù: Chìcháo |
| 2024 | Black Myth: Wukong | 黑神话：悟空 | Hēishénhuà: Wùkōng |
References
- ^ a b c d e f g Young, Charles (11 September 2020). "Black Myth: Wukong - The World Exclusive Story Behind the Breakout Action-RPG". IGN. Archived from the original on 11 September 2020. Retrieved 18 August 2024.
- ^ a b Ye, Josh (21 August 2020). "Black Myth: Wukong in race to become China's first AAA game". South China Morning Post. Archived from the original on 24 August 2020. Retrieved 18 August 2024.
- ^ a b c Cao, Ann (22 August 2024). "Wukong video game's low-profile developer now in the spotlight". South China Morning Post. Retrieved 23 August 2024.
- ^ Jia, Liu (30 March 2021). "[Exclusive] Tencent Lifts Stake in Indie Studio Game Science to Draw Closer, Source Says". www.yicaiglobal.com. Archived from the original on 18 August 2024. Retrieved 18 August 2024.
- ^ Valentine, Rebekah; Chan, Khee Hoon (20 November 2023). "How Black Myth: Wukong Developer's History of Sexism Is Complicating its Journey to the West". IGN. Archived from the original on 17 August 2024. Retrieved 18 August 2024.
- ^ Chen, Qin (27 August 2020). "Gamers reconsider anticipated title Black Myth: Wukong following sexually explicit comments from Game Science CEO". South China Morning Post. Retrieved 22 August 2024.
- ^ Feng, Jenny (2 September 2020). "Chinese game developer faces boycott after CEO's sexually explicit remarks". The China Project. Archived from the original on 22 October 2022. Retrieved 22 August 2024.
- ^ 林卓恆 (17 June 2024). "傳黑神話悟空遭政確團體逼害小島秀夫都中槍｜因拒交5500萬顧問費". HK01 (in Chinese). Archived from the original on 23 August 2024.
不過這篇文章的真實性也存疑；在網上早就有人指出該文中引用的性別歧視例子，基本上都是將遊戲科學成員在社交媒體上的發文斷章取義，以至惡意翻譯而成。而文章中引用了不止一位「來自中國的女性遊戲開發者」的批評遊戲科學的發言，均全都以化名（pseudonym）記載，完全無法查證真偽。
- ^ "《黑神话：悟空》被外媒锤了，仗义执言还是别有用心？". GameLook. 23 November 2023. Archived from the original on 27 August 2024.
- ^ "抹黑《黑神话》的IGN撰稿人急了！呼吁玩家去玩盗版". GamerSky. 25 August 2024.
- ^ "黑神話:悟空｜IGN作者呼籲網民玩翻版｜疑不滿遊戲性別歧視仍大賣｜科技玩物". 香港01 (in Chinese). 26 August 2024.
- ^ Fenlon, Wes (20 August 2024). "We asked Black Myth: Wukong's developer about the controversy over its founders' past sexist remarks, but GameScience's only reply was 'No comment'". PC Gamer. Archived from the original on 21 August 2024. Retrieved 22 August 2024.
- ^ Valentine, Rebekah (17 June 2024). "About Our Report From Last Year". IGN. Archived from the original on 19 August 2024. Retrieved 20 August 2024.