Illustration: Liu Xiangya/GT

At The Game Awards (TGA) 2024, often referred to as the "Oscars of the gaming industry," Black Myth: Wukong achieved several "breakthroughs" in Chinese gaming history. Nominated for "Best Art Direction," "Best Action Game," "Best Game Direction" and "Game of the Year," the game eventually won the "Best Action Game" and "Players' Voice" awards. This marks the first time a Chinese AAA game has truly made its way onto the world stage, standing at the center of the stage and competing with the best works from around the globe. Black Myth: Wukong has earned the respect and recognition of global gamers in multiple aspects, filling in an important piece of the puzzle for the blank space of Chinese games going global.

The fact that Black Myth: Wukong missed out on the "Game of the Year" award has also drawn attention. Many gamers expressed "pity," while some voices mocked the Chinese gaming industry, suggesting that "it's not as great as it's hyped to be." In fact, we need not be upset about such a loss, nor do we need to be presumptuous. Black Myth: Wukong has become a new coordinate point that marks a new depth in China's gaming industry. 

After this, more ordinary people are developing bolder imaginations and greater confidence in the Chinese gaming industry, while the world is beginning to view Chinese games in a different light. A trend or expectation of "getting better and better" is obviously more valuable than specific awards.

In fact, what's really crucial is not how big a step we take or how tough the opponents we beat, but that we persistently work hard to pursue our goals and progress. There are honors and affirmations, as well as setbacks and doubts in this process, but as long as we move forward in the right direction, even the smallest progress will eventually shine. For example, China's high-speed train, which is moving toward reaching the speed of 400 kilometers per hour, has long left those cynicisms far behind.

According to the World Intellectual Property Organization's Global Innovation Index 2024, China has 26 of the world's top 100 science and technology innovation clusters, ranking first in the world for the second consecutive year. Last year, China authorized 921,000 patents, a year-on-year increase of 15.3 percent. China is setting new records in a number of areas, and it is clear that much of our confidence today comes from day-to-day efforts.

The emergence of "breakthroughs" and "creating history" in China from multiple dimensions is not a coincidence. Recently, The Taklimakan Desert has been completely encircled by a sand-blocking green belt, allowing the "Sea of Death" to wear a "green scarf." This marks a new miracle in China's fight against desertification, made possible by 40 years of unwavering effort. China's victory in the battle against poverty also demonstrates the determination and perseverance of the Chinese people. An increasing number of Chinese stories are being recognized by the world, thereby gaining greater global significance.

The outside world is observing the overall landscape of the Chinese nation from various perspectives. Whether in cutting-edge technologies like space exploration, in livelihood areas such as poverty alleviation and desertification control, or in cultural events like the international expansion of games and short dramas, we are expanding the boundaries of development in a comprehensive and multidimensional way. 

In some fields, we are making gradual progress, while in others, we are experiencing continuous accumulation that leads to qualitative leaps. Some of these developments receive widespread attention, while others remain relatively unknown. These different facets are gradually piecing together a grand picture, which will clearly showcase the complete image of China's development as "better and better."

By continuously creating favorable development conditions and continuously adding effective development elements, China's innovation momentum and development vitality will become even more vigorous. With the development of new quality productive forces characterized by artificial intelligence and so on, the combination of "world-class quality and Chinese stories" has become all-encompassing today. People can boldly imagine that in the future, there will be more such Chinese products emerging - technologically, they can become the crystallization of the current forefront of human development; in terms of significance, they can reflect the realities and visions of a community with a shared future for mankind, achieving cross-cultural communication and interaction.

In Journey to the West, Monk Xuanzang and his disciples endure 81 trials and tribulations before ultimately achieving their goal. However, the experiences and challenges they face during their journey are even more inspiring than the result of overcoming various difficulties to obtain the "sutras." We move forward step by step in our pursuit of truth and pragmatism. This process gives us confidence, and this confidence also encourages us to continue moving forward. This is a value in Chinese society. "Embarking on the journey to seek knowledge is more important than reaching the spiritual mountain." We believe that it is not only the Chinese gaming industry that is opening new horizons; the development of China in this new era represents an unceasing pursuit of the stars and the sea.