黑神话悟空梗 — Black Myth: Wukong Meme Format

What Is 黑神话悟空梗?

When Black Myth: Wukong launched in August 2024 as China's first AAA game, its epic mythological imagery immediately became meme material. The format: use a dramatic game screenshot ('Put on this crown — the world is yours') and contrast it with mundane Chinese office reality ('Put on this ID badge — you belong to the company'). Epic mythology vs. worker bee fate.

Origin

Black Myth: Wukong released August 20, 2024 and broke Steam sales records, becoming China's proudest gaming achievement. The game's cinematic visuals and mythological gravitas inspired immediate parody. The '戴上这个' (put this on) format was among the first viral templates: game shows the hero donning a legendary artifact, cut to a confused monkey wearing an office lanyard.

Cultural Context

The game arrived when Chinese internet was saturated with 打工人 (office worker) meme culture — young people resigned to endless work. Black Myth's epic heroism provided the perfect contrast: the game offered mythological destiny, real life offered company IDs and mandatory overtime. The collision was irresistible. The monkey hero became both national pride and proxy for worker exhaustion.

How It's Used