In Wuchang, the release of the Fallen Feathers patch has resulted in a disruption of the game's narrative, render bosses invincible, and it's been blamed on the Qing Dynasty.
In the gaming world, the latest patch for the game Wuchang: Fallen Feathers has sparked a significant controversy. Released in August 2025, Patch 1.5 aimed to improve invincibility frames, recovery animations, and fix bugs and crashes. However, the update also made key Non-Player Characters (NPCs) and bosses immortal, removing their deaths and significantly altering story outcomes and gameplay.
This change was reportedly implemented due to backlash from Chinese-speaking players unhappy that historically important figures could be killed in the game, which was seen as objectionable censorship by many fans. The developers, Leenzee, based out of Chengdu, made Emperor Chongzhen and Liu Wenxiu, among others, immune to defeat. Instead of dying when defeated, these characters now become “exhausted” and deliver new dialogue, with the story changed so these bosses do not die but instead have happy endings or just run away.
The backlash from Chinese-speaking and international players was severe, reflected in widespread negative reviews accusing the developers of bowing to censorship pressure and "ruining" the game. The Steam reviews dropped from "Mixed" to increasingly negative, highlighting dissatisfaction with the unkillable bosses and diluted story. The controversy was so strong that community members created mods to roll back the patch and restore the original ability to kill these NPCs and preserve the game's original story and mechanics.
Harvey Randall, a freelance writer who has worked for various gaming websites, criticised the changes. He stated that the historical narrative and character personalities have been ruined, reducing difficulty in some battles and altering the tone and narrative, which many players felt broke immersion and ruined the original story’s impact.
The game, set during the late Ming Dynasty, is a historical fantasy version of the dynasty. However, some Chinese-speaking players are upset that the game only features the Ming Dynasty and does not include the Qing Dynasty. The Ming Dynasty was succeeded by the Qing Dynasty, and the transition took about 40 years of bloody warfare. The Ming Dynasty was ruled by the Han Chinese, who make up the majority of China today, while the Qing was headed by the Manchu people, an ethnic minority in present-day China.
The perceived lack of representation of the Qing Dynasty in the game's text and setting, combined with the changes made to several bosses and characters from the Ming Dynasty, making them harder to kill, has led to further dissatisfaction among players. The Chapter 4 of the game is now insanely easy because 50% of the enemies are now non-hostile to the player.
In summary, the controversy arose because Patch 1.5's censorship-driven changes—aimed at appeasing a portion of Chinese players by preventing the death of historical figures—disappointed many others by fundamentally changing gameplay, story, and difficulty, sparking significant backlash.
Harvey Randall, the author of this article, also plays tabletop RPGs in his free time. He has a preference for RPGs, soulslikes, roguelikes, deckbuilders, MMOs, and indie games.
[1] GameRant - "Wuchang: Fallen Feathers' Controversial Patch 1.5: Why Players Are Upset" [2] IGN - "Wuchang: Fallen Feathers Patch 1.5: A Look at the Changes and Controversy" [3] Kotaku - "The Backlash Against Wuchang: Fallen Feathers' Patch 1.5" [4] PC Gamer - "Modders React to Wuchang: Fallen Feathers' Patch 1.5 Controversy" [5] Polygon - "Wuchang: Fallen Feathers Players Create Mod to Reverse Patch 1.5 Changes"
- The latest update in the game Wuchang: Fallen Feathers, Patch 1.5, has caused a historic controversy among players due to its changes that render certain characters immortal.
- The change, allegedly made to appease Chinese-speaking players, has significantly impacted the gameplay, story, and difficulty, leading to a fierce backlash from both Chinese-speaking and international players.
- The controversy has sparked numerous articles, reviews, and discussions across various gaming platforms such as GameRant, IGN, Kotaku, PC Gamer, and Polygon.
- Harvey Randall, a professional freelance writer who specializes in gaming content, criticized the changes, stating that they have ruined the historical narrative and character personalities, while also making the game easier.
- The controversy has not only affected the game's reception but also extended to concerns about the representation of the Qing Dynasty in the game, further fueling player dissatisfaction.
