Black Myth: Zhong Kui Trailer Released! What Info Can We Get?

Game Science surprised everyone by offering us the first genuine view of Black Myth: Zhong Kui, which drove Wukong enthusiasts completely crazy. This 15-minute gameplay trailer was released in August 2026, about a year after the game came out during the Gamescom opening night live in 2025. We thought it best to go through a lot of details and find out more.

Looking to lock in a copy early when pre-ordering is available? PriceRadar makes it easy to find a trustworthy deal before release day.

Watch the Official Trailer

Black Myth: Zhong Kui – 15 Minutes Gameplay Trailer

A New Protagonist, Not the Monkey King

Unlike Wukong, this sequel follows a completely different lead — a young, sword-wielding swordsman instead of the staff-swinging monkey hero from the first game. He washes up on a remote, mountainous coastline, teams up with an elderly companion, and the two build a raft while dodging falling trees and a massive tsunami.

Things take a dark turn fast. The old man later dissolves into paper, leaving the protagonist to fend for himself against increasingly strange enemies.

And here's where it gets interesting: a hooded companion shows up mid-trailer, wielding an arched sabre and wearing a cloak that looks a lot like the one Zhong Kui had on in last year's reveal trailer. At one point, the protagonist actually fuses with this cloaked figure, briefly fighting as a stronger, combined version of himself.

Combat Looks Completely Reworked

If you were hoping for the fight scene of Wukong with staff and acrobatics, then this is completely different. The fighter, however, is a man of sword with a one-sided blade and fists in hand-to-hand combat, using lots of standing counters, blocks, and showy final combinations.

A few standout mechanics from the trailer:

• Fire-infused sword attacks — the protagonist can throw firebombs that ignite the environment, then absorb that fire directly into his blade for enhanced attacks.
• Elemental variety — beyond fire, we also see what looks like a lightning imbuement used later in a boss fight, suggesting multiple elements will factor into combat.
• A resource/notch system — a circular gauge fills up as the player lands attacks and parries, unlocking stronger consumption-based moves once it's full.
• A gourd-based healing system — just like in Wukong, the protagonist carries a gourd that appears to hold a stock of attack-boosting and HP-restoring effects, rather than individual pickup potions.
• Paper talismans — tied directly to real Taoist tradition, these fu talismans have historically been used for protection and exorcism rituals, and they show up as part of the protagonist's move-set here.

The parry system in particular stood out to early viewers. Reactions single out one sequence against the game's boss as "the most impressive part of the trailer," describing how the animations shift depending on the angle of the incoming attack rather than playing the same canned response every time.

The Boss Fight Everyone's Talking About

A large chunk of the trailer is spent on a single boss encounter: a towering, clam-winged lake monster covered in barnacles. The fight includes visible part-breaking — the protagonist chops off one of its wings mid-battle — and a clear multi-phase structure, with the boss shifting attack patterns once it loses its wings entirely.

Midway through the fight, the hooded companion jumps in, and the two eventually fuse together, letting the protagonist fight in a temporarily powered-up state before reverting back to normal. It's a flashy moment, and honestly one that raises just as many questions as it answers.

Who (or What) Is Zhong Kui?

For a bit of context: Zhong Kui is a well-known figure in Chinese folklore and Taoist tradition, usually pictured as a large, bearded deity who travels between the mortal world and the underworld hunting down ghosts and evil spirits. One popular version of the legend even describes him as a scholar who got denied his rightful status simply because of how frightening he looked.

That mythology tracks with the closing shot of the trailer, which shows a tiger-riding figure — presumably the "real" Zhong Kui — looking every bit as imposing as the legend suggests. How that figure connects to the younger protagonist we spend most of the trailer with is still a mystery.

What We Still Don't Know

Game Science has been upfront that the game is early in development, and a few key details are still missing:

• No release date or release window has been announced.
• No confirmed platforms yet, though Black Myth: Wukong launched on PC and PlayStation before later coming to Xbox.
• The studio has said the final release may differ from what's shown in this trailer.

Conclusion

Black Myth: Zhong Kui is shaping up to be a genuine departure from Wukong rather than a reskin — new weapon type, new elemental systems, and a much more mysterious central narrative. With no release date locked in yet, the wait is going to be a long one, but based on this trailer alone, it's already generating the kind of hype Game Science was clearly hoping for. Nothing is up for pre-order just yet, but it always pays to stay ahead of the curve — bookmark the Black Myth: Wukong price tracker on PriceRadar now, and once the game does open for pre-purchase, you'll be first in line to compare Black Myth: Wukong price listings the moment they go live.