iQIYI, Inc. (NASDAQ: IQ) has unveiled its first set of digital collectibles on Jan. 21. The set is based on the popular iQIYI original drama Luoyang. It will be the first digital collectibles based on a historical drama to be released in China. The collection was completely sold out within seven hours of its initial release. A total of 6,000 copies of six antique-inspired items from Luoyang, as well as 500 copies of a major scene from the performance, are included in the set.
Unlike conventional digital collectibles, which are mostly digital photographs, the Luoyang-inspired set includes operational gadgets in the Luoyang metaverse, which was established by Mints, iQIYI’s partner and a Chinese technological service provider. The Luoyang metaverse takes users to the cultural environment of Luoyang, China’s ancient city.
Furthermore, Luoyang depicts the narrative of a group of valiant heroes who courageously protected Luoyang and its people in the face of adversity. The show’s content success index reached 9,000, making it a “national hit” by iQIYI’s standards. iQIYI calculates show success based on user viewing, interaction, sharing, and other activities. The show also made top Twitter trends in Singapore, Thailand, and several other countries.
In addition, Luoyang is also the first city to be highlighted in the iQIYI Chinese Historic City Universe (iCHCU). It seeks to narrow the gap between China’s local culture and iQIYI’s worldwide audience by incorporating a variety of content inspired by many Chinese cities. iCHCU is the latest milestone in iQIYI’s quest to create an IP universe and a unified IP creation methodology that provides additional types of content and new ways to consume culture.