No application received for 'Wukong' Taiwan release: MODA

Taipei, Aug. 26 (CNA) The Ministry of Digital Affairs (MODA) said Monday that it has not received an application to release the blockbuster Chinese video game "Black Myth: Wukong" (黑神話: 悟空) for video platforms operating in Taiwan.

MODA's comments came after local news media reported that despite "Black Myth: Wukong" being available for download on most regional Playstation stores on Aug. 20, Taiwan was not one of them.

Amid speculation that the game's unavailability was due to escalating tensions with Beijing, Lin Chun-hsiu (林俊秀), deputy director-general of MODA's Administration of Digital Industries (ADI), said the decision to allow the release the Chinese video game had nothing to do with politics.

Speaking with reporters, Lin said MODA had not yet received an application from representatives for "Black Myth: Wukong," describing the situation as a procedural rather than political issue.

So long as an application for a video game is filed with the necessary information, including a distribution agreement, game content ratings and cybersecurity, MODA will issue an approval in less than a month, Lin said, noting that the ministry had done so for several Chinese games in the past.

Inspired by the classic Chinese novel "Journey to the West," "Black Myth: Wukong" sold 10 million copies in just three days across all platforms worldwide after its debut.

Black Myth: Wukong, featuring Sun Wukong (孫悟空), the legendary Monkey King known for his supernatural powers and mischievous nature in the classic Chinese novel, is developed by China-based Game Science Studio backed by Chinese tech giant Tencent Holdings Ltd.