Summary

  • Some Chinese Black Myth: Wukong fans are review bombing Baldur's Gate 3 on Steam.
  • Swen Vincke’s speech when delivering the Game of the Year award seems to have prompted the sudden backlash.
  • Some fans of Black Myth: Wukong also seem to be upset that Game of the Year went to Astro Bot.

Some Black Myth: Wukong players are review bombing Baldur’s Gate 3. The targeted comments appear to be connected to the speech made by Baldur’s Gate 3 creator Swen Vincke at The Game Awards 2024 prior to Astro Bot being named Game of the Year.

Black Myth: Wukong was released earlier in 2024 to largely positive reviews, selling over 20 million copies to date. Being considered one of the most noteworthy games of the year, the title was understandably nominated for the Game of the Year award at The Game Awards 2024. While Black Myth: Wukong won Best Action Game and Player’s Voice, the Game of the Year award went to Astro Bot, disappointing fans of the popular Chinese action-adventure game.

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Now, some fans of Black Myth: Wukong are taking to Steam to review bomb Baldur's Gate 3. The reason for choosing BG3 as the target seems to be linked to Swen Vincke’s speech when delivering the Game of the Year award during the recent ceremony. During his speech, Vincke claimed that the winner "didn't have to meet arbitrary sales targets" and "didn't treat their developers like numbers on a spreadsheet,” which seems to have upset gamers who may have misunderstood the message. Spotted by gamers on social media, negative reviews started popping up as soon as The Game Awards ended, and many of the angry comments accused Vincke of saying that sales do not matter.

Some Black Myth: Wukong Fans Are Review Bombing Baldur's Gate 3

It’s possible that a mistranslation of what Vincke said could have prompted the review bombing, as most of the negative reviews seem to be written by Chinese players despite Black Myth: Wukong’s global popularity. There are currently reports of a dodgy Chinese translation of the show, making Vincke’s marks appear to be harsher than they actually are. However, it’s also possible that some of these players are upset that they can’t take their frustrations out on Astro Bot, as the game is not available on Steam.

To make the subject of losing the Game of the Year award even more controversial, Black Myth: Wukong producer Feng Ji recently questioned TGA’s criteria for the award. When commenting on the game’s loss, Ji described his sadness regarding the result, claiming that he could not “figure out what the criteria was for Game of the Year.” Additionally, Ji noted that he had written his acceptance speech for Game of the Year two years ago, and expressed frustration for not being able to use it.

Unfortunately, review bombing is not uncommon in the gaming space. Last month, for example, Dragon Age: The Veilguard was review bombed, with many gamers accusing the title of being “woke” and criticizing the title’s representation of LGBTQ+ characters as a “political agenda.”

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Baldur's Gate 3 Tag Page Cover Art
9 /10

Baldur's Gate 3
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RPG
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Systems
PlayStation-1 Xbox-1 PC-1
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Top Critic Avg: 96 /100 Critics Rec: 97%
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Released
August 3, 2023
ESRB
M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Partial Nudity, Sexual Content, Strong Language, Violence
Developer(s)
Larian Studios
Publisher(s)
Larian Studios
Engine
Divinity 4.0
Multiplayer
Online Co-Op, Local Co-Op
Cross-Platform Play
Full cross-platform play.
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WHERE TO PLAY

DIGITAL
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Abducted, infected, lost. You are turning into a monster, but as the corruption inside you grows, so does your power. Forge a tale of fellowship and betrayal, sacrifice and survival, and the lure of absolute power. Caught in a conflict between devils, deities, and sinister otherworldly forces, you and your party will determine the fate of the Forgotten Realms.

THE ULTIMATE D&D EXPERIENCE
Choose from a wide selection of D&D races and classes, or play as an origin character with a hand-crafted background. Adventure, loot, battle, and romance as you journey through the Forgotten Realms and beyond. Play alone or as a party of up to four in multiplayer – and select your companions carefully.

A CINEMATIC STORYTELLING EPIC
Forged with the new Divinity 4.0 engine, Baldur’s Gate 3 gives you unprecedented freedom to explore, experiment, and interact with a world that reacts to your choices. A grand, cinematic narrative brings you closer to your characters than ever before, as you venture through our biggest world yet. Romance, deceive, aid, obstruct, and grow alongside your friends thanks to Larian's next-generation RPG engine.

Cross Save
Full cross-platform progression.
Div
Franchise
Baldur's Gate
Number of Players
1-4
Split Screen Orientation
Vertical Only
Steam Deck Compatibility
Verified
Genre(s)
RPG
How Long To Beat
100+ Hours
X|S Optimized
yes
PS Plus Availability
N/A
Local Co-Op Support
1-2 Players
OpenCritic Rating
Mighty