Is The Witcher 3 Concert on Black Myth’s Radar?

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Black Myth: Wukong audio director Li Jiaqi recently posted photos on Weibo from a The Witcher 3 concert, writing that "learning helps you improve." The update was later compiled and published by Gamersky. Li was not there as a casual fan: he is the overall sound lead on Black Myth: Wukong, and his work combining Chinese drums with rock rhythms has already drawn industry attention. His next major focus is Black Myth: Zhong Kui.

For a game audio lead, a concert like this is also research. For Li Jiaqi, hearing The Witcher 3 performed live is not just about whether the melodies still work outside the game. The more useful question is how music fits into the pace and logic of play, and how it stays restrained while the player is making decisions.

From a design perspective, game music is not decoration layered on top of a game. It is part of the same design equation as level structure, combat, and narrative. The fact that The Witcher 3 can support a concert at all means its themes, regional identity, and character emotions have remained clear to players. Li Jiaqi has previously argued that game music should not disrupt the player's flow state, a view that matters especially in action games. Once the soundtrack draws too much attention to itself, the player's dodges, reads, and counterattack timing start to lose clarity.

The more interesting part is how Li handles traditional Chinese elements. Chinese drums and rock rhythms can easily collapse into empty signposting. What made Black Myth: Wukong worth discussing was that it did not treat traditional culture as a texture pack. Li has also rejected reducing traditional Chinese culture to simple symbols, emphasizing that creation should come from a natural expression of cultural identity. The best scoring often knows when to hold back: it waits for the scene to open, then pushes the emotion forward in one clean surge. That is much sharper than a score that constantly pushes itself to the front.

The harder test is Black Myth: Zhong Kui. The Zhong Kui subject already carries folklore, underworld imagery, and ritual weight. If instruments such as suona, drums, or vocal styles are used as shortcuts, the material will be wasted. What the game needs is atmosphere that grows naturally from the scene, so players sense danger through exploration and combat rather than being forced to decode cultural labels because the score insists on them.

The broader trend is that game concerts are becoming a useful afterlife for major scores. If a score can move onto a stage, it has at least become more than functional accompaniment. If another creator goes specifically to study it, there is likely structure worth learning from. For players, this kind of news does not need to be read as a crossover tease or news hint. It is closer to a public note from a creator thinking through the craft. The question worth watching is whether Black Myth: Zhong Kui can keep its sound system as steady as the last game.

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