BYD has entered into a global strategic partnership with Game Science to become the exclusive automotive brand partner of the hit Chinese video game Black Myth: Wukong.
BYD (HKG: 1211, OTCMKTS: BYDDY) has entered into a partnership with Game Science, the producer of Black Myth: Wukong, as the new energy vehicle (NEV) maker ramps up its marketing efforts.
The company announced on October 20 that it has entered into a global strategic partnership with Black Myth: Wukong to become the exclusive automotive brand partner for the Chinese video game.
As part of the partnership, BYD and Game Science will work together to promote the scanning of Chinese heritage sites into digital assets to support future restoration efforts, according to an announcement from the NEV maker.
The two companies will start this year by joining forces with local museums to digitally scan cultural artifacts, starting with Shanxi in northwest China, where the game is most heavily set.
The two sides will next announce plans to scan cultural relics in other provinces to help preserve monumental assets, BYD said.
Launched on August 20, Black Myth: Wukong is an action role-playing game inspired by the classic Chinese novel Journey to the West, with the story revolving around an anthropomorphic monkey modeled after the Monkey King in the novel.
The game is one of China's rare successes in the field, with the number of concurrent players on Steam surpassing 1 million after just one hour of release. Three days after its launch, it sold more than 10 million copies worldwide.
The game's huge success has attracted a number of companies as well as tourism departments of local governments that are looking to capitalize on the game's fame to market their products and travel destination. Electric vehicle (EV) maker Nio (NYSE: NIO) also emerged as a surprise winner from the game's popularity.
In addition to being well-received by players, the game has been seen as an important platform for more overseas users to learn about Chinese culture. Chinese state-owned media, including the People's Daily, had praised it highly as a result.
BYD has become the world's top seller of NEVs, with vehicles in 95 countries and regions and more than 400 cities around the world, the company said.
Through technology iteration and product innovation, BYD has become a pioneer in NEVs, leading the Chinese auto brand to kick off their rises, it said.
This resonates with the rise of Black Myth: Wukong, both of whose success was based on investment in technology, according to BYD.
This is BYD's latest global marketing effort, as it tries to expand its presence in international markets.
On January 12, BYD announced that it became the official partner of Euro 2024, the first time the European Cup has partnered with a Chinese automotive brand.
Nio emerges as surprise winner as Chinese video game 'Black Myth: Wukong' becomes global hit
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