A blockbuster Chinese video game sparks debate on sexism in the nation’s gaming industry

WASHINGTON (AP) — A blockbuster new Chinese video game hailed as a milestone for the country’s gaming industry has put an unexpected spotlight on longstanding claims of rampant sexism in China’s male-dominated gaming culture.

While some gamers are basking in the runaway success of the action-adventure title “Black Myth: Wukong,” others are voicing their complaints about sexism in Chinese gaming and lodging allegations against the game’s Shenzhen-based developer, Game Science, that it posted offensive messages online.

Critics posted screenshots of the messages on Chinese social media platform Weibo, with one compilation receiving over 400,000 likes. One of the posts that critics say came from founder Feng Ji uses descriptions of oral sex as a metaphor for the positive responses about the game’s promotional video. Other examples include lewd recruiting posters.

AP was not able to independently verify the screenshots, though gamers interviewed reported seeing the posts. Game Science did not respond to an email seeking comment and hasn’t publicly commented on the controversy.

The criticism reflects simmering anger among Chinese women in the industry who say they have long been targeted by misogynistic remarks and behavior.

Gender inequality is a global problem in the heavily male-dominated gaming industry. Despite making up almost half of the gamers globally, women made up only about 22% of the gaming industry workforce in 2020, according to Women in Games, a United Kingdom-based organization.

Skylar Hu, the only woman on her game engineering team of over 20 people, said her male colleagues often posted sexual jokes in work chat groups. She said when she told offenders to stop, her messages were ignored.

“Offensive jokes are so common and explicit,” Hu, 23, said in a phone interview, speaking on condition she be cited by her English name out of concern for her safety online.

For Jessica Hua, a former video game operation manager, controversy over the game reminded her of the toxic environment she experienced as a woman in the game industry.

“A lot of people think it’s just kidding around. But I cannot accept such misogynistic remarks,” said Hua. “I take it quite seriously.”

“Black Myth: Wukong” is China’s first-ever AAA game, a designation for big-budget productions akin to A-list movies. The game made history when over 2.4 million people played the game simultaneously online, breaking the record for most-played single-player game on Steam, a major online gaming platform. Three days after the game’s debut, over 10 million copies had been sold.

Many in the Chinese gaming industry say they regard the game as a point of national pride, promoting Chinese culture and challenging Western dominance in the industry.

“There is no doubt that this is a milestone in the Chinese gaming industry,” said Feng Xu, secretary of the Chengdu Cyber Game Industry Association. “It’s exporting authentic Chinese culture by introducing Monkey King to the world.”

China, which famously imposed limits on how long kids can play video games and sought to curtail excessive spending on online gaming, has shown full support for “Black Myth.” The government of China’s northwestern Shanxi province collaborated with the game’s developer to promote local tourism. State media have also published a series of articles praising the game.

Feng Xu says he doesn’t think the allegations against Game Science would have much impact on the game’s success. “Political correctness has nothing to do with the game,” he said. “We gamers only play the games, and we only care if the game is good and fun.”

Others say it was only a matter of time before addressing sexism in Chinese gaming culture gained more traction.

“Most game creators are men. You can see in a lot of games women are usually unnecessarily sexy and objectified,” said Ashley Li, a cultural critic and game enthusiast. “But I think this will gradually change in the future. We need to give it some time.”

People walk past an advertisement promoting the latest blockbuster new Chinese video game "Black Myth: Wukong" in Beijing, Friday, Aug. 23, 2024. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)

A woman holds up an umbrella as it rains near an advertisement promoting the latest blockbuster new Chinese video game "Black Myth: Wukong" in Beijing, Friday, Aug. 23, 2024. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)

A man holds up an umbrella against the rain as he walks past an ad promoting the latest blockbuster new Chinese video game "Black Myth: Wukong" in Beijing, Friday, Aug. 23, 2024. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)

WASHINGTON (AP) — Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump on Monday launched his family's cryptocurrency venture, World Liberty Financial, with an interview on the X social media platform in which he also gave his first public comments on the apparent assassination attempt against him a day earlier.

Trump did not discuss specifics about World Liberty Financial or how it would work, pivoting from questions about cryptocurrency to talking about artificial intelligence or other topics. Instead, he recounted his experience Sunday, saying he and a friend playing golf “heard shots being fired in the air, and I guess probably four or five.”

“I would have loved to have sank that last putt,” Trump said. He credited the Secret Service agent who spotted the barrel of a rifle and began firing toward it as well as law enforcement and a civilian who he said helped track down the suspect.

World Liberty Financial is expected to be a borrowing and lending service used to trade cryptocurrencies, which are forms of digital money that can be traded over the internet without relying on the global banking system. Exchanges often charge fees for withdrawals of Bitcoin and other currencies.

Other speakers after Trump, including his eldest son, Don Jr., talked about embracing cryptocurrency as an alternative to what they allege is a banking system tilted against conservatives.

Experts have said a presidential candidate launching a business venture in the midst of a campaign could create ethical conflicts.

“Taking a pro-crypto stance is not necessarily troubling; the troubling aspect is doing it while starting a way to personally benefit from it,” Jordan Libowitz, a spokesperson for the government watchdog group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, said earlier this month.

During his time in the White House, Trump said he was “not a fan” of cryptocurrency and tweeted in 2019, “Unregulated Crypto Assets can facilitate unlawful behavior, including drug trade and other illegal activity." However, during this election cycle, he has reversed himself and taken on a favorable view of cryptocurrencies.

He announced in May that his campaign would begin accepting donations in cryptocurrency as part of an effort to build what it calls a “crypto army” leading up to Election Day. He attended a bitcoin conference in Nashville this year, promising to make the U.S. the “crypto capital of the planet” and create a bitcoin “strategic reserve” using the currency that the government currently holds.

Hilary Allen, a law professor at American University who has done research on cryptocurrencies, said she was skeptical of Trump's change of heart on crypto.

“I think it’s fair to say that that reversal has been motivated in part by financial interests,” she said.

Crypto enthusiasts welcomed the shift, viewing the launch as a positive sign for investors if Trump retakes the White House.

Meanwhile, Vice President Kamala Harris’ campaign has not offered policy proposals on how it would regulate digital assets like cryptocurrencies.

In an effort to appeal to crypto investors, a group of Democrats, including Sens. Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand of New York, participated in an online “Crypto 4 Harris” event in August.

Neither Harris nor members of her campaign staff attended the event.

Gomez Licon contributed from Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump waves as he boards a plane at Harry Reid International Airport after a campaign trip, Saturday, Sept.14, 2024, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)