First announced via a hugely popular teaser trailer in August 2020, Black Myth launched on Tuesday after four years of anticipation. It is the Chinese video game industry's first AAA release – a title typically given to big-budget games from major companies. High-end graphics, sophisticated game design and hot-blooded hype have all contributed to its success - as well as the size of China's gaming community, which is the largest in the world. "It's not just a Chinese game targeting the Chinese market or the Chinese-speaking world," Haiqing Yu, a professor at Australia's RMIT University, whose research specialises in the sociopolitical and economic impact of China's digital media, told the BBC. "Players all over the world [are playing] a game that has a Chinese cultural factor."