Illustration: Liu Xiangya/GT

As China's gaming industry explores the transition toward AAA (high production cost, high volume, and high quality) development, WUCHANG: Fallen Feathers launched in July and quickly drew attention as a major domestic release following Black Myth: Wukong. Developed on a budget of 200 million yuan ($28 million) and released globally, it has been regarded by many as a significant step in Chinese developers' efforts to reach international audiences.

Before its launch, the game saw a rapid increase in pre-orders and even reached the top spot on Steam's global bestseller list (excluding free games and Steam Deck hardware). 

However, on release day, the game faced a major backlash, within 24 hours, its Steam review rating dropped below 20 percent, due to controversies surrounding the storyline, poor gameplay experience, and a mismatch between the marketing and the actual content. 

Despite the developers' quick response with a patch to fix some issues, the public is now questing whether the game is ready to meet its "predicted hit" credentials.

Set in the late Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), players take on the role of a warrior plagued by disease journeying through war-torn lands, from mist-covered mountains to dilapidated temples, while piecing together her lost memories.

Content-wise, WUCHANG: Fallen Feathers showcases the creative ambition of its development team. By drawing on the historical turning point of the late Ming Dynasty and blending Ancient Shu civilization with Lovecraftian mythology, the game seeks to create a fantastical world that merges diverse cultural elements.

However, it is precisely this "cultural patchwork" approach that has sparked controversy: Some players feel that the plot lacks internal logic and that the free adaptation of history undermines emotional engagement, reducing the overall immersive experience.

As a game set in the late Ming Dynasty, the inclusion of figures like Zhang Xianzhong and even characters from the Three Kingdoms period (220-280), while deliberately downplaying the influence of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), feels jarring. Moreover, the handling of Ming generals and peasant rebellion storylines has also caused some debate, according to the Observer Network.

Modifying history doesn't equate to innovation. Without balancing narrative expression and cultural responsibility, the game struggles to become a meaningful cultural export.

However, the issues go beyond ­cultural experimentation. Problems like insufficient optimization, ­malfunctioning multiplayer DLC systems, chaotic deluxe edition rewards, and regional pricing disputes have continuously alienated early players.

"From the early leaks and confusion around version bonuses to inconsistent regional pricing and poor launch-day optimization, a series of missteps left players feeling like they'd been misled," a veteran game industry insider surnamed Liu told the Global Times. She pointed out that such "­non-game-related factors" can often trigger emotional backlash that rapidly amplifies negative feedback.

According to Liu, the game's actual quality isn't poor, and part of the criticism may be driven by the momentum of online discourse. "This is when the publisher's crisis response and handling capabilities really get tested. Unfortunately, it seems they were not adequately prepared this time."

"If the messaging is well-managed, public perception can absolutely be turned around," she added.

On Monday, the official team released a statement addressing the controversies, detailing a series of compensations and fixes. These included redistributing pre-order rewards, adding extra deluxe edition content, improving performance optimization, and reducing monster difficulty. 

Following the announcement, the review rating improved, and player sentiment showed noticeable signs of recovery. The publisher's crisis management capability directly impacted the game's public perception and market lifecycle.

China's AAA game market is projected to reach 13.3 billion yuan in 2025, rising to 16.9 billion yuan in 2026, before entering a phase of steady development between 2027 and 2028. With WUCHANG: Fallen Feathers and Black Myth: Wukong forming a "dual-engine" dynamic, international publishers are accelerating their investment expansion into the Chinese market. Since 2024, foreign investment in domestic AAA studios has seen a significant year-on-year increase, according to the China Securities Journal. 

The increase of investment marks the beginning of an era of high-investment, high-risk, and high-exposure Chinese games. Breakthrough for domestic AAA games cannot rely solely on a one-off "hit" but must gradually build long-term competitiveness through a strong industry ecosystem, technical standards, and cultural logic.

On the policy front, Chinese authorities are also increasingly supportive of high-end game exports. In June, 17 government departments in East China's Zhejiang Province jointly issued a directive aimed at supporting game exports, specifically emphasizing the cultivation of AAA titles with strong cultural attributes, positive values, and high growth potential, according to the Department of Commerce of Zhejiang Province.

Today, the technological strength of Chinese games can no longer be overlooked. The key lies in how to make the content truly "stand firm" and "speak coherently" to global users. This is the true entry ticket for domestic AAA games.

The author is a reporter with the Global Times. life@globaltimes.com.cn