iQIYI's Duan Youqiao: Living room and bedroom are the most important markets for VR

In the Chinese Internet circle, where the term "ecosystem" is a must at press conferences, this term has lost its initial deterrent effect. Perhaps in order to once again highlight the grand pattern of platformization, at the iQiyi World-iVR+ Global Virtual Reality Conference on May 5, the organizers specially added the word "real" before the strategy announced this time - the world's largest Chinese VR real ecosystem .

From the introduction of iQiyi Senior Vice President Duan Youqiao, it is found that the word "real" is not so much an emphasis on iQiyi's large platform layout in the VR field, but rather a practical grasp of the current market dynamics. iQiyi's iVR+2016 strategy actually reflects the current status and future direction of the VR market.

open

Duan Youqiao said that the three differences of iQiyi's VR ecosystem are "non-monopoly, non-exclusiveness, and true openness." Specifically, iQiyi will not appear on the hardware terminals of its partners in an exclusive manner, and the iQiyi platform will not exclude PGC or UGC content from other content providers.

Not only the platform, but several partners of iQiyi have also expressed that they will adopt an open attitude towards the platform and will not rush to take sides at this stage.

Referring to the development process of mobile games, the two-way opening of VR platforms and CPs shows that the entire VR market is still in a very early stage. How to make this cake bigger is a common problem faced by current VR practitioners. In this regard, the iQiyi platform is undoubtedly attractive enough for content providers. The CEO of Moshi Interactive said that iQiyi's user resources and big data capabilities have inherent advantages in the promotion of early content and the analysis of player preferences.

move

On the day of the conference, iQIYI officially released its iVR+ virtual reality product suite: iQIYI Panoramic Cinema, iQIYI Panoramic Game Center, and iQIYI Video VR Edition. All three products are applications developed for mobile terminals. It can be seen that iQIYI VR platform focuses more on mobile terminals.

This layout is consistent with the current situation of the domestic video and game markets. On the one hand, relevant data shows that most users who watch videos currently watch them through mobile terminals; on the other hand, mobile games are the strength of domestic developers, while console or PC VR game platforms are basically in a closed or semi-closed state, leaving little opportunity for latecomers.

In addition, iQIYI announced three ecological incentive plans, including the sale of 10 million VR hardware helmets in the next 12 months. Duan Youqiao believes that among these 10 million users, individual consumers who purchase mobile phone box products will account for the majority. "The largest market for VR is the personal entertainment market. In the long run, 2B will not be the mainstream consumption. I think the living room and bedroom are the most important markets for VR." Duan Youqiao said.

Mobility is a point that domestic VR hardware manufacturers have constantly emphasized, and it is natural that it is now reflected on the platform.

IP

The other two ecological incentive plans are: the Top Ten Video Self-Made Plan and the Top 100 IP Game Cooperation Plan. In the future, iQIYI will incorporate VR production into video production and provide IP to game developers to jointly create VR games.

Behind these two plans is iQiyi's exploration of VR content formats and business models. Duan Youqiao revealed that in the future, iQiyi may select some suitable content from a single episode of a web series and make it into a VR format, or remake a VR version of a specific web series. At that time, advertising content will also be embedded in VR videos. In terms of choosing game developers, iQiyi considers creativity as the primary factor.

China

iQiyi strives to create "the world's largest Chinese VR ecosystem", among which "Chinese" is also a word worth pondering.

In terms of the market environment, in the past two years, under the wave of VR, the reaction of Chinese media, investors, entrepreneurs and consumers has been no slower than that of any other country in the world. On that day, a game CP from overseas described the Chinese and American markets like this: "In the United States, except for senior engineers and technology geeks, few people know the concept of VR, but in China, anyone you ask can tell you some of the characteristics of VR."

Duan Youqiao believes that with the influx of hot money and start-up companies, China's VR industry will become the world's largest VR supplier and consumer in the future.

"How can we achieve this goal? I think we can't rely on deception, nor on financing, nor on launches and PR. We have to rely on building our own technology products and operating our content in a down-to-earth manner." The road to the poetry and distance of VR may not be so out of reach.

As a winner of Toutiao's Qingyun Plan and Baijiahao's Bai+ Plan, the 2019 Baidu Digital Author of the Year, the Baijiahao's Most Popular Author in the Technology Field, the 2019 Sogou Technology and Culture Author, and the 2021 Baijiahao Quarterly Influential Creator, he has won many awards, including the 2013 Sohu Best Industry Media Person, the 2015 China New Media Entrepreneurship Competition Beijing Third Place, the 2015 Guangmang Experience Award, the 2015 China New Media Entrepreneurship Competition Finals Third Place, and the 2018 Baidu Dynamic Annual Powerful Celebrity.