Chinese streaming service iQIYI is expanding its VR experiences to major cities in China, and then overseas to destinations including Dubai and Bangkok.
Hang Zhang, senior vice president of iQIYI, said the company is expanding its location-based entertainment (LBE) portfolio and utilising innovative technology to transform popular brands into LBE experiences.
This summer, Shenzhen will get a VR experience inspired by iQIYI’s original series Luoyang. This opened in Shanghai last year. A new adaptation of original series Strange Tales of Tang Dynasty 2: To the West is also coming to Shenzhen and Beijing.
Additionally, a new VR immersive theatre based on hit drama series Love Between Fairy and Devil will soon open at the Galaxy Macau integrated resort (IR), and in Shanghai.
“Our VR immersive theaters gain a competitive edge in the market, and their success is supported by the widespread popularity of the original IPs on which these projects are based,” said Zhang.
Chinese streamer’s LBE portfolio expands
iQIYI already has VR attractions in Chinese cities like Shanghai, Luoyang, Xi’an, and Hefei. The company is considering other cities including Harbin and Changchun.
“These projects leverage VR technology to modernize and expand the reach of Chinese culture, enhancing the long-term value of iQIYI’s original IPs,” iQIYI said in a press release.
iQIYI’s VR experiences include theatre-style sets, audiovisual and motion effects, interactive gameplay, and sensory elements such as wind and water.
American streaming service Netflix is behind LBE experiences themed to Squid Game, Bridgerton, Stranger Things and Money Heist.
The company is preparing to open its first two Netflix House entertainment venues in shopping malls in Texas and Pennsylvania in 2025.
Images courtesy of iQIYI
