‘Welcome the Destined One!’

Examining the Influence of Black Myth: Wukong on Cultural Heritage Sites

Abstract

The video game Black Myth: Wukong ignited the public’s interest in the cultural heritage sites featured in the game scenes. Players entered into a virtual game world of Chinese traditional mythologies contextualized in an imagined landscape - the design of which drew inspiration from real-world heritage sites. By examining an exhibition of the game and the status quo of two heritage sites in Shanxi, this article captures and reflects upon the game’s impact on the sites’ engagement with their contemporary audiences. It finds that while the game greatly promoted the sites to a broader audience group, it also reshaped the cultural functions of the sites, as they have now become viral travel destinations.