Phantom Blade Zero debuts with 434,000 players on Steam and puts China in the spotlight

Phantom Blade Zero is out now, and its first day did not go unnoticed. The Chinese action game, available on PC and PlayStation 5, hit a peak of 434,028 concurrent players on Steam in its opening hours, according to data compiled by Vandal. That figure instantly places it among the most played titles on Valve's platform and ahead of several of the biggest releases of 2026.

The number matters for two reasons. The first is purely commercial: a brand-new title, without the backing of an established Western franchise, has landed in second place on the store, behind only Counter-Strike 2. The second is about momentum: after the Black Myth: Wukong phenomenon, the Chinese industry is proving that it was not an isolated stroke of luck, but the start of something more sustained.

What you need to know

• Peak of 434,028 concurrent players on Steam in the first hours after launch on PC and PlayStation 5.
• Second most played game on the platform at that moment, behind Counter-Strike 2 and ahead of Dota 2, PUBG, Aion 2, Call of Duty, Cyberpunk 2077 and Deadlock.
• Beats Resident Evil Requiem (344,000) and Forza Horizon 6 (303,000), two of the strongest launches of the year.
• Far behind Black Myth: Wukong, which reached 2.4 million concurrent players at its peak.
• Higher Metacritic score than Wukong: it is the best-reviewed Chinese production to date.

A debut that outperforms the year's biggest names

It is worth noting that there are no official sales figures yet. Vandal points out that half a million pre-orders were being discussed a few days ago, but the only verifiable indicator for now is the Steam player counter. And that counter speaks loudly: in a year with top-tier launches such as Resident Evil Requiem and Forza Horizon 6, Phantom Blade Zero has opened above both of them on PC.

The table also puts things in perspective. Wukong was a phenomenon on a different scale, with a peak more than five times that of Phantom Blade Zero. That is partly explained by the cultural weight of Journey to the West within China and by a launch that became a national event. Phantom Blade Zero starts from a more modest base, but its debut is still extraordinary for an intellectual property that is far less known outside its home country.

Critics are backing it too

There is one area where Phantom Blade Zero has beaten Wukong: the reviews. According to Vandal, it is the best-reviewed Chinese production on Metacritic so far. That changes the narrative. Wukong proved that a Chinese studio could sell on a massive scale; Phantom Blade Zero proves it can also win over the specialist press with an action title that goes head to head with the best of Japan and the West in its genre.

For the Spanish-speaking market, where the community around demanding action games has grown considerably in recent years, launches like this open a door. It is not just another game: it is confirmation that the blockbuster catalogue no longer depends on three or four countries.

Our take

Here at the Underworld Lordz editorial team we welcome the numbers, but we urge caution. A concurrent player peak in the opening hours measures hype, not success. Single-player action games tend to have an explosive start and then drop off quickly, because people finish the story and move on. The real test will come in two or three weeks: if Phantom Blade Zero holds a solid player base on Steam, we will be talking about a genuine phenomenon; if it fizzles out, it will have been a good launch and little more.

For the content creators in our community, the message is clear: the window is open right now. A new, well-reviewed game with a huge audience on day one is fertile ground for guides, combat breakdowns and livestreams. Anyone who waits until they have a fully formed opinion will find that the peak of interest has already passed. That said, be careful not to get carried away by the Metacritic headline: being the best-reviewed Chinese game does not make it the best action game of the year, and our competitive players will quickly notice whether the combat system holds up to hours of practice or is all spectacle.

As far as the competitive scene goes, Phantom Blade Zero is not an esport and does not aim to be one. But it does tell us something useful: Spanish-speaking and global audiences are willing to bet on games that come from outside the usual circuit. If that ever carries over to competitive Chinese titles with global ambitions, the esports map could change more than many people expect.

What do you think?

Phantom Blade Zero has defied expectations on its first day, although it remains far behind the earthquake that was Black Myth: Wukong. We want to hear what the Underworld Lordz community thinks: drop by the team chat or our Discord and let us know. Do you think we are seeing the start of an era dominated by Chinese blockbusters, or is this just the passing shine of a strong launch?