Black Myth: Wukong has finally arrived on Xbox Series X and Series S, launching exactly one year after its debut on PlayStation 5 and PC. A new technical breakdown has provided a closer look at how the title performs across current-generation platforms, with notable differences in resolution, graphical fidelity, and frame rate stability.
Like its PlayStation counterparts, the Xbox Series X and S versions include three display options: Quality, Balanced, and Performance. While the Series X manages to achieve higher average resolution than the PS5 in performance mode, this comes with a visible reduction in graphical quality. Shadow detail and global illumination see significant downgrades compared to Sony’s hardware.
The Series S, meanwhile, applies broader cuts across most visual settings, with noticeable reductions in draw distance, vegetation density, shadows, and overall lighting. By contrast, both the PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 5 Pro retain a more consistent balance between resolution and effects, making them the only versions where performance mode delivers acceptable visual quality.
Frame rate remains a mixed point across platforms. The PS5 Pro offers the most stable performance, while the Xbox Series versions show more inconsistencies, particularly when pushing demanding sequences. Nevertheless, overall performance remains serviceable, even if the Series X performance mode could benefit from further optimization.
The balanced mode sets the game to run at 45 frames per second on all platforms, or 40 frames per second when 120Hz output is enabled. It is recommended that the latter option offers smoother consistency, although the locked frame rate may not be appealing to everyone.
Even with its compromises, Black Myth: Wukong is still regarded as one of the most technically challenging games of this generation. Many view the Xbox ports as a commendable effort, although there is noticeable room for improvement in performance mode on the Series X.
Developed and published by Game Science, Black Myth: Wukong was released in August 2024 on PS5 and PC, before arriving on Xbox Series X/S in August 2025. Inspired by Journey to the West, the action RPG quickly became one of the fastest-selling games ever, selling 20 million copies in its first month and earning widespread critical acclaim. Its successor, Black Myth: Zhong Kui, is currently in development.
