The French kung fu master whose moves made Sifu action game a surprise hit of 2022 – and a love letter to martial arts
- Benjamin Colussi is a sifu, or master, in the pak mei style of kung fu. Having seen many games use incorrect fighting styles, he wanted something more authentic
- A lifelong student of Chinese culture, Colussi wanted Sifu to slow the action down and allow the player to figure out the sequence of moves that works best
Revenge-focused kung fu action game Sifu has become a breakout hit in 2022, selling nearly one million copies since its release in February. What’s more, the game has earned praise for its fighting complexity as well as the respect it shows to a Chinese art.
But if the game is accurate in depicting the specific kung fu fighting style known as pak mei, that’s a debt owed to Benjamin Colussi. The Paris resident and kung fu master has seen too many films and games with an inaccurate approach to fighting. He didn’t want his name or the pak mei school he runs to have their brands sullied.
He was ready to be a pest. “For me, it was important to not just sign a [licensing] contract and go back to my stuff and that’s all,” says Colussi, who was recently in Los Angeles to take meetings for other potential media products.
“I really wanted to make a point. So before signing, I said, ‘I want to see the movement, and want the chance to say, you can do better’. It was a struggle for the team. They thought I wanted to take up too much space. That was not my goal. My goal was to be sure that what they do reflects what we want.”
In a crowded gaming month with blockbuster releases such as Elden Ring and Horizon Forbidden West, Sifu has managed to make an impact. The game has also inspired cultural and mechanical debates, as it’s not only difficult but the independent studio that made it, Sloclap, is based in Paris rather than China.