(Nio) electric car manufacturer Nio came into the focus of gamers due to the appearance of its CEO.
A video game is attracting a lot of attention in China. One of the main characters bears a striking resemblance to the CEO of electric vehicle manufacturer Nio. William Li has become a celebrity overnight and his company is benefiting from free advertising.
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One of the most discussed topics in China this week is the global success of the video game “Black Myth: Wukong”. In one night alone, 2.36 million players were online simultaneously on the gaming platform Steam. The game was created by a Chinese development team. The script of Black Myth: Wukong was inspired by the classic Chinese novel “Journey to the West”. The plot revolves around an ape-like hero based on “Sun Wukong”, the Monkey King. The game also features a character called “Elder Jinchi”, who acts as a hidden boss. He bears similarities to William Li, the founder and CEO of the electric vehicle manufacturer Nio. This ultimately led to him becoming a major celebrity in China overnight, reports Cnevpost. This also benefited the company.
Unexpected attention for Nio
On the day of the release of Black Myth: Wukong, images and comments about the striking resemblance between the character and the CEO were already circulating on social media. The images of the character Elder Jinchi, which were linked to Li, spread quickly. The electric vehicle manufacturer Nio also benefited from this unexpected PR. The company’s officials originally had no intention of taking advantage of the game’s popularity. Li himself was asked about this topic in a livestream. He expressed surprise at the sudden connection to the game, which he had not known until then.
Worldwide attention
Black Myth: Wukong has caused a stir not only in China, but also worldwide. It quickly reached several million simultaneous gamers on the Steam platform. The game’s success is seen in the Middle Kingdom as a significant cultural contribution, as it brings Chinese culture closer to a wider international audience through the medium of video games. The game is therefore also viewed positively by state media and even by the Chinese Foreign Ministry.
Some companies have actively tried to capitalize on the popularity of Black Myth: Wukong by trying to market their products in the context of the game. One example is Li Auto. The company released a video in which a blogger visits various locations in the game. However, these attempts have so far had little success compared to the attention Nio unexpectedly received due to their boss’s resemblance to Elder Jinchi.
