(Yicai Global) June 21 -- iQiyi is set to kick off its all-immersive Luoyang virtual reality project in Shanghai, after two months of trial operations, as the Chinese video platform continues to push the boundaries of metaverse tourism.

Luoyang VR brings to life the ancient capital of Luoyang and integrates interactive extensions using real-world space, engines, Inside-out Tracking, as well as VR technology and full-sensory hardware to expand players’ sense of space, said Zhang Hang, senior vice president of Beijing-based iQiyi, who is also in charge of content development for Luoyang VR.

Developed by iQiyi’s production studio Dreamverse, Luoyang VR has attracted over 5,000 players since it started trial operations in April, and will be rolled out in Luoyang, central Henan province and Beijing later this year.

On entering the metaverse, players can take a boat ride, drive a carriage and ride a fighting bird across a space of 300 square meters. It feels very real, some players told Yicai Global. The scenes are spectacular, but interactions are limited to shooting and are somewhat weak, they added.

An hour-long session costs CNY328 (USD45) and each session can accommodate 8 people up to a maximum 10 sessions per day. There is also a shorter version that can cater to more people at once.

"The Luoyang VR project demonstrates how incorporating technological innovations and a localized approach when exploring VR commercialization and original IP-based projects can boost both the content market and cultural consumption," Zhang added.

Our mission is to provide the R&D team with user experiences and to push for an early launch, said Hu Shihui, founder and chief executive officer of metaverse theme park X-META, which is a partner and offline operator of iQiyi in the Luoyang VR project.

“Without obstacles of distance and space, the metaverse can offer broad entertainment choices in secondary and tertiary cities,” Hu said,

IQiyi, which entered VR entertainment in 2018, is also developing a virtual reality version of the fairy tale ‘Love Between Fairy and Devil’ which is expected to be released next year.

The company is also set to launch three shorter immersive entertainment experiences, Mars Rescue, Kunlun Maze and Apocalyptic Adventure, at the end of this month.

Editor: Kim Taylor