Optics Valley founds metaverse research institute

Wu Linfan, vice president of YHKT Entertainment Co, is interviewed about the animated show Three-Body Problem. [Photo/WeChat account of Optics Valley of China]

The animated show Three-Body Problem debuted on bilibili on Dec 10. In less than one hour, it received more than 80 million hits. YHKT Entertainment Co – a pan-entertainment company based in the East Lake High-tech Development Zone (also known as Optics Valley of China), participated in the making of the show.

On the same day, a sci-fi industry development seminar was held in the valley, during which the Optics Valley Metaverse Research Institute was unveiled and the three-year plan to build the sci-fi industry in OVC was issued, focusing on the building of the sci-fi industrial chain that features content making and operations, digital designs, digital characters, mixed reality, and immersive experience.

Many cultural and creative firms are located along Guanshan Avenue in OVC. [Photo/WeChat account of Optics Valley of China]

The sci-fi industry is an important driver in enhancing national technological and cultural competence and leading the further fusion of sci-tech innovation, culture demonstration and digital economy.

The plan states that the valley will seek to build five major application scenarios – sci-fi + sciences, sci-fi + businesses, sci-fi + education, sci-fi + tourism, and sci-fi + digital industrial park. By 2025, the valley will strive to become home to 100 sci-fi industry leading enterprises and form 100 exemplary sci-fi application scenarios.

To date, Optics Valley of China has 216 cultural companies above a designated size, the sales revenue of which account for more than 40 percent of Wuhan's total. In 2021, OVC's cultural services exports and imports registered 2.81 billion yuan ($404.08 million).