iQIYI Ushers in Next-Generation of Entertainment with Launch of China's First Extended Reality (XR) Cloud Show

BEIJING, March 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- iQIYI Inc. (NASDAQ: IQ) ("iQIYI" or the "Company"), an innovative, market-leading online entertainment service in China, is pleased to announce that it has launched Cloud Show, China's first interactive, immersive, online, virtual performance product. Cloud Show features both real and virtual scenes enabled by multiple audiovisual technologies to deliver users a unique and fresh extended reality (XR) entertainment experience.

Cloud Show's first event, a concert titled "X-City" will be performed by Chinese girl group THE9 who rose to fame on the Company's reality show Youth With You 2. The immersive concert promises to awe the audience through the power of XR technology, with cutting-edge features such as virtual stage and seating as well as real-time interaction.      

World-class XR experiences for the 5G era 

As the 5G era advances, there has been a rapid emergence of XR technology which combines real and virtual environments and human-machine interactions. While companies worldwide have been exploring XR, iQIYI is the first company to deliver a complete XR experience with its film-quality visual effects and world-class approach to content, technology, and interaction.   

XR technology will be used throughout the whole process of the live-streamed concert, rendering an immersive virtual stage performance. The quality of the scenes will be further enhanced by augmented reality (AR)-enabled virtual front scenes, the use of multiple XR virtual machine positions, and film and television-grade equipment.

Meanwhile, viewers will have the freedom to enjoy the performance in their own unique way by switching among multiple different camera angles. The theme of THE9's concert is a tailor-made virtual city enabled by XR technology and the show will feature songs about facing impossible challenges with bravery. The stylized, realistic XR technology will present a stunning visual experience with innovative features such as online virtual seats, exclusive virtual images, real-time interaction, on-site physical light sticks, and a fans-created stage, bringing fans closer to the stars in an immersive environment. 

As Generation Z seeks more varied forms of entertainment, they are pursuing content that allows them to experience more in-depth interactions and sensory immersion. To address this need, companies worldwide are exploring how to create online performances that cater to younger demographics by combining content and technology in XR-enabled scenarios.

No longer just synonymous with live streaming, online performance is thus expected to meet the need for a greater sense of immersion. iQIYI has long embraced the use of innovative, cutting-edge technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), virtual reality (VR), AR and ultra-high definition(UHD). The use of XR technology in THE9's first Cloud Show will present multiple world-first innovations in terms of the interaction between the stars and their fans, taking the show to another level.

iQIYI unveils virtual production base and launches cloud ticketing system

To support the roll-out of Cloud Show and other products, iQIYI has recently been establishing new technology infrastructure. At the end of 2020, the Company unveiled the iQIYI Virtual Production Base in DaChang, the first of its kind in China. At the Base, cutting-edge technologies such as AI, visualization, performance capturing, real-time synthesis, LED screens, and lighting, are being harnessed to deliver solutions that span the whole production chain, laying a solid foundation for Cloud Show.

In addition, iQIYI has launched a new cloud ticketing system featuring customized services spanning pre-sale, performance, and after-sale. Besides functions like ticket purchasing and give-aways, the audience can also use the platform to purchase merchandise such as props, peripherals, and images, offering users a one-stop and individualized experience. The system has been designed with customer experience at its center, enabling special online ticketing services such as automated ticketing, checking-in, and ticket stubs with tailor-made colors, mirroring the real experiences users will encounter at brick-and-mortar theaters.

With the launch of Cloud Show, iQIYI is well positioned to continue delivering more cutting-edge and diversified entertaining experiences to its users. By combining premium content with world-leading innovative technology, Cloud Show is set to create additional business opportunities while redefining next-generation entertainment.   

SOURCE iQIYI, Inc.

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