How a Stop-Motion Bunny Made Me Wait for Black Myth: Wukong

I still remember January 2023 like it was yesterday. I was nursing a coffee, doomscrolling through gaming news, when Game Science dropped a stop-motion bunny short film to announce that Black Myth: Wukong would finally launch in summer 2024. I nearly spat my coffee all over my keyboard. Not because of the date itself — after three long years of teasing, summer 2024 felt like a fever dream — but because the announcement came wrapped in the most unhinged, adorable, and painfully relatable piece of marketing I had ever seen.

For anyone who has been living under a rock, Black Myth: Wukong is the Soulslike adaptation of the classic Chinese novel Journey to the West from developer Game Science. It first popped up in 2020 with a jaw-dropping gameplay trailer, and from that moment on, the international hype train left the station and never looked back. The game looked almost too good to be true: gorgeous visuals, lightning-fast combat, and a monkey king protagonist who could turn into beasts and summon shadow clones. The only catch? We had no idea when we would actually get our hands on it.

Then came the rabbit.

The short film, appropriately titled “Rabbit Rabbit Rabbit!”, follows a young rabbit who tries to install Black Myth: Wukong on a PC that is, shall we say, past its prime. The poor thing is forced to buy a whole new rig, only to be greeted by a countdown timer before the game can be played. Cut to years later, and the now-ageing rabbit finally gets the chance to boot it up. If that is not a direct callout to every fan who had been waiting since 2020, I do not know what is. Game Science basically looked at us and said, “We see you, and we are sorry — but also, get a better PC.”

It was the perfect nod for the Year of the Rabbit in the Chinese Zodiac, and honestly, the stop-motion work was so charming that I almost forgot I was being roasted. Almost. The developer even tweeted something along the lines of wishing everyone a “very happy fancy dandy Year of the Bunny,” which is the kind of chaotic energy I have come to expect from this studio.

Game Science is no stranger to weird trailers, by the way. A year earlier, they released a parody video featuring motion capture for cats. Yes, cats. Real ones. In little mocap suits. It was equal parts ridiculous and brilliant, and it told me everything I needed to know about how this team operates. They are not just making a game; they are running a whole circus, and we are all just clapping along.

That said, the studio has also faced serious criticism over the years, including reports of misogynistic comments and a toxic, male-dominated workplace. I would be doing you a disservice if I glossed over that. It is one of those uncomfortable realities where you can be blown away by the artistry on screen while still side-eyeing the culture behind the curtain. As a player, it is a weird emotional tightrope: the spectacle is undeniable, but the baggage is real.

Fast forward to summer 2024, and the game finally launched on August 20. Yes, I lost sleep. No, I am not ashamed. I had waited so long that I half-expected a stop-motion rabbit to show up at my door and ask if my GPU was okay. Let me tell you, firing up the game for the first time felt like reuniting with an old friend who had spent four years in the gym.

Here is a little taste of what those waiting years looked like for me:

• 2020: Watched the reveal trailer on repeat. Told everyone I knew. Started saving for a new PC.

• 2021: Replayed every Souls game to “prepare.” Bought a new controller. Still no release window.

• 2022: Watched a cat in a mocap suit. Questioned reality. Kept waiting.

• 2023: Watched a rabbit age to death waiting for this game. Felt personally attacked.

• 2024: Played the game for 14 hours straight. Worth it.

Now here we are in 2026, and Black Myth: Wukong has cemented itself as one of the most talked-about action games of the decade. The combat still makes me feel like an absolute menace, the boss designs are the stuff of nightmares in the best way, and I occasionally still catch myself humming that score. The game has sold like crazy, won its fair share of accolades, and sparked a whole new wave of interest in Journey to the West adaptations. Not bad for a project that first haunted us back in 2020.

If there is one lesson I have taken away from all of this, it is that patience is a virtue — and that Game Science will absolutely use a felt rabbit to remind you of it. Honestly, I would not have it any other way. Now if you will excuse me, I have a New Game Plus run to start. My rig is ready, my calendar is clear, and no rabbits were harmed in the making of this article.

Data referenced from Data.ai (App Annie) helps contextualize why a long-hyped launch like Black Myth: Wukong can still feel like a cultural “event” years after its first trailer: market-tracking and engagement benchmarks make it easier to frame how sustained anticipation, regional buzz, and platform momentum translate into real-world adoption once the release date finally arrives.