Chinese game makes world headlines with OVC's tech support

The highly anticipated Chinese game Black Myth: Wukong has taken the world by storm, selling over 4.5 million copies and generating more than 1.5 billion yuan ($210.18 million) in revenue within the first 10 hours of its release on Aug 20.

Developed by the Game Science studio, Black Myth: Wukong is an AAA-level action-adventure game inspired by the classic Chinese novel Journey to the West. The game's founder, Feng Ji, a graduate of Huazhong University of Science and Technology, hopes to see the game reach its full potential, stating that embarking on the journey is more important than reaching the destination.

Feng Ji, founder of Game Science. [Photo/WeChat account of Optics Valley of China]

By incorporating real-world scans of ancient Chinese landmarks and intangible cultural heritages, the game highlights the efforts of its technical heroes. Among them is 2:10 Animation, an animation company based in the Wuhan East Lake High-tech Development Zone (also known as the Optics Valley of China, or OVC), which provided technical support for the hit game.

According to Wang Shiyong, chairman of 2:10 Animation, the company's independently developed software, Animcraft, played a vital role in the game's success. This software boasts intelligent animation production and management capabilities, significantly improving efficiency.

Wang Shiyong, chairman of 2:10 Animation. [Photo/WeChat account of Optics Valley of China]

"The software is designed to address the problem of animation detail and allows animators to make manual adjustments quickly," Wang explains. It can record and smooth movements for each character and then replicate them across different scenes.

Wang believes that the rich legacy of traditional Chinese culture provides endless inspiration for creators. He sees the success of Black Myth: Wukong as a source of encouragement and a positive example for China's animation industry.