Game Science has rolled out a major new update for Black Myth: Wukong, and it’s one that delivers sweeping improvements to performance and visuals across all platforms — but it comes at a cost, especially for PS5 players. The update, Patch 1.0.20.21756, clocks in at a massive 93.3GB on PlayStation 5, although the developer says this won’t necessarily increase the game’s total install size.
🗂️ PS5 Players: Large Download, But No Long-Term Storage Increase
While the patch file is enormous on PS5, Game Science explains that this is due to the nature of how updates work on Sony’s system. The patch rewrites large parts of the game, so although you’ll need around 93GB free for the download, the final install footprint will remain roughly the same — or might even shrink slightly. For players running low on storage, the studio recommends uninstalling the game first, then reinstalling with the new version, rather than layering the update on top of the old version.
If you experience crashes, a stuck install, or the game refusing to launch after the update, Game Science advises checking out the installation and patch FAQ on their official website.
🎮 What’s New in Patch 1.0.20.21756?
This update includes a long list of performance upgrades, graphical enhancements, bug fixes, and changes aimed at improving overall gameplay experience. The patch is available starting October 13 for all platforms.
🔵 PlayStation 5 Performance Improvements
PS5 players can expect a noticeably smoother experience following the patch. Key changes include:
- Faster load times across all areas
- Improved texture clarity for sharper environments and character models
- Enhanced CPU and rendering performance, leading to smoother frame pacing and fewer drops in demanding scenes
- Better memory usage, reducing system strain during gameplay
- Refined motion blur to help minimize aliasing (jagged edges) when the camera pans
Additionally, the Performance Mode has been adjusted:
- Now runs at a native 60Hz refresh rate
- Input latency is reduced
- Resolution is improved over the previous Performance Mode
- The original Performance Mode is still available and has been renamed to “Performance Mode (Legacy)”
Several visual bugs — such as ghosting and edge flickering — have also been resolved.
🟢 PC Enhancements and Technical Fixes
On PC, Patch 1.0.20.21756 introduces support for AMD’s FSR4 (FidelityFX Super Resolution), giving players another powerful upscaling tool for better performance at high resolutions. To use it, players will need compatible hardware, an updated GPU driver, and FSR4 enabled in the driver settings.
Other PC improvements include:
- Significantly improved lighting when Global Illumination is set to low, now resembling the quality of high GI settings
- Improved Compatible Mode — this mode now disables ray tracing, frame generation, and certain super-resolution features to help avoid crashes or launch issues caused by hardware, drivers, or system anomalies
- Graphics preset adjustments have been made to better suit specific GPU models
- Fixed rendering issues involving Intel’s NXSR technology, with better rendering quality and less ghosting or edge flickering
- Fixed XeSS 2.0 problems where frame generation failed on some monitors
- Resolved crash issues when using both DLSS 4 frame generation and ray tracing simultaneously
⚠️ Mod Users Beware: Compatibility May Break
For PC players who’ve installed mods, the update could cause issues. Due to “a considerable number of underlying changes,” mods may become incompatible, which could lead to:
- The game refusing to launch
- Save files failing to load
- Crashes or error messages during gameplay
Game Science strongly recommends uninstalling all mods and verifying the integrity of your game files before launching the updated version. These steps should help avoid most conflicts and get you back into the game smoothly.
🧭 Gameplay and UX Improvements
Some minor — but welcome — changes to the game’s interface and progression systems have also been made:
- Boss Battle Enhancements: The combat experience against the Yaoguai King “Giant Shigandang” has been improved
- Journeyer’s Chart: Now guides players more clearly to travel with the Keeper’s Shrine if no Chart has been obtained yet
- Save Interface: The “Cleared” label in the “Load Journey” menu is now easier to read
🐛 Bug Fixes
This patch squashes several bugs across both platforms:
Boss Fights
- Fixed an issue where Yaoguai Chief “Top Takes Bottom & Bottom Takes Top” could become undefeatable under certain conditions
- Fixed an issue where the iron ball failed to display properly during those battles
Localization
- Added Czech language support
- Fixed text overlapping in the “Make Medicine” UI for some languages
- Corrected voiceover/subtitle mismatches in cutscenes
- Resolved translation, spelling, capitalization, and terminology issues across multiple languages
🔁 Final Tips Before Updating
- On PC, make sure you have sufficient disk space (temporary storage might be required on a different drive if using Steam)
- The update may trigger shader recompilation — crashes during this phase are possible, so try restarting the game until it’s complete
- If you experience repeated failures installing the patch, Game Science recommends a full reinstall
🗓️ Patch Release Date
The update rolls out globally from October 13, 2025 across PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. Full patch notes and troubleshooting resources are available on Game Science’s official website.
