Chengdu: From Box Office Hits to Immersive IP Spaces
2026-09-30 10:57:44 by Queenie Tan
A massive installation based on the "All Wishes Come True" IP stands on the street, where visitors can draw fortune sticks at a booth themed "All Wishes Granted". Nearby, the game "Goose Goose Duck" has been transformed into a ring toss attraction; "Seven Heroes' Adventures on the Way Home" features a three-dimensional maze; and "Shrouding the Heavens" presents an interactive "Purple Mountain Bell Ringing" experience.

On Sept. 29, Eastern Suburb Memory welcomed a group of "Made in Chengdu" IPs originally popular on screens, in games, and across the internet, as they materialized in physical spaces in entirely new forms. On that day, as a core component of the Chenghua District sub-venue of the 2026 Chengdu International Digital Cultural Creativity Season, the Chengdu IP Planet Digital Cultural Creativity Trendy Toy Street officially opened. More than 40 "Made in Chengdu" IPs gathered to integrate cultural and creative markets, interactive games, robotics, and VR experiences into old factories and industrial alleyways.
The 2026 Chengdu International Digital Light Art Festival also opened on the same day. Digital imagery, architectural projections, and creative lighting installations were showcased collectively, reprogramming industrial heritage sites into digital art spaces. Although the two events have different focuses, they both point to the same shift in Chengdu's digital cultural and creative industry: moving beyond merely creating content and IPs toward building immersive scenarios.

With the top three domestic animated films by box office revenue all being "Made in Chengdu", how can the vitality of these IPs be extended? Data shows that "All Wishes Come True" grossed 1.985 billion yuan, ranking third in the history of Chinese animation, behind only "Ne Zha 2" and "Ne Zha". Dongjiao Memory is providing a tangible answer: on the Trendy Toy Street, "All Wishes Come True" is represented not just by posters but also by giant installations and the debut of official wristbands. Other IPs are similarly presented through interactive formats such as mazes and photo spots. Behind the more than 40 IPs lie over a dozen exhibition and sales booths, nearly 1,000 individual products, and interactive games designed around popular franchises.

Why was Dongjiao Memory chosen? Person in charge Chen Aiping explained that the location was selected for its concentration of young tourists, families, and established trendy consumption scenes. In the past, the relationship between audiences and IPs ended when the movie credits rolled; now, it extends to playing, photographing, purchasing, and sharing. The transition from "watching IPs" to "playing with IPs" essentially represents an extension of the digital content value chain.

In addition to the cultural and creative market, "Seven Heroes' Adventures on the Way Home" jointly launched AI bionic plush toys, and "Miss Percy" debuted its first product line, enabling IPs to move from stories to merchandise and then into consumption scenarios. Digital technology further expands these boundaries: a mobile VR cinema housed in rapidly deployable containers has been set up on-site to showcase outstanding VR works. Wang Jingran, Deputy Secretary-General of the Zhongguancun Zhongheng Culture and Technology Innovation Service Alliance, noted that the initiative aims to facilitate the post-event commercialization of creative works, allowing general audiences to truly experience them and bridging the gap between creation and consumption.

Deeper within the park, the medium for digital content expands to buildings and walls. "DIGI PARK Future Pop-Up Factory" occupies an immersive space of over 5,000 square meters featuring 12 light-and-shadow nodes, while outdoor digital imagery extends into streets and heritage structures. Walls become screens and factories transform into artworks, as digital technology reshapes the utilization of old industrial spaces. Luo Bingwen, a representative of the operator, stated that the focus is shifting from space management to content curation. Exhibited works are simultaneously engaging in copyright cooperation, with some expected to be converted into permanent installations and expanded overseas. From derivative products to VR cinemas and digital light art, the exploration continues on how quality content can travel further. "Made in Chengdu" creations are stepping beyond the screen.

【本篇文字部分内容由 AI 辅助写作,特此声明。Please note: the text in this article was created with the help of AI.】

