iQIYI's Real-World Gambit: Can Digital IP Build a Theme Park Empire?

BEIJING, China – December 31, 2025 – Chinese streaming titan iQIYI is making a bold leap from the digital screen to the physical world, announcing that its first-ever offline entertainment park, iQIYI LAND, will open its doors in Yangzhou on February 8, 2026. The move signals a major strategic pivot for the online entertainment platform, aiming to transform its vast library of popular Chinese stories and characters into a tangible, immersive universe. Scheduled to debut just in time for the Chinese New Year, the park represents a high-stakes bet on the country's booming experience economy and a direct challenge to established global and domestic theme park players.

A Strategic Leap from Screens to Scenery

For iQIYI, the launch of an indoor theme park is more than just an expansion; it's a calculated diversification designed to build a more resilient and multifaceted business. By moving into location-based entertainment, the company aims to create powerful new revenue streams beyond its core digital subscription and advertising models. This strategy taps directly into China's surging demand for leisure, with the nation's theme park sector valued at over $8 billion in 2023 and projected by industry analysts like China Insights Consultancy to skyrocket past $15 billion by 2028.

This aggressive offline push is not iQIYI's first foray into physical experiences. The company has been quietly building its capabilities, currently operating nearly 60 smaller-scale VR immersive theater venues in over 30 cities across China. These locations, which have already attracted more than 100,000 visitors, served as a crucial testing ground for translating digital IP into engaging real-world attractions. The Yangzhou park, however, represents a quantum leap in scale and ambition.

With two additional iQIYI LAND projects already in development, including one in Kaifeng, Henan Province, the company is clearly pursuing a nationwide strategy. This expansion is underpinned by what sources familiar with the company's strategy call an "asset-light" model. Instead of focusing on capital-intensive roller coasters and massive outdoor infrastructure, iQIYI LAND will prioritize technology-driven, interactive indoor experiences. This approach allows for faster development, lower operational costs, and greater flexibility to update attractions as digital content trends evolve, mitigating some of the immense financial risks associated with traditional theme park development.

Inside the Magic: Technology Meets Tradition

iQIYI LAND is being positioned as a "next-generation indoor theme park," promising to blur the lines between watching a story and living it. The park will be divided into seven distinct zones, each leveraging innovative technology to create a deeply interactive environment. Visitors won't just see their favorite shows; they will step inside them.

Features will include immersive theaters that go beyond passive viewing, interactive light-and-shadow spaces that respond to visitors' movements, and mind-bending holographic displays. A key draw will be the ability for guests to explore meticulously recreated sets from hit dramas, such as the iconic old mansion from the acclaimed series "The Knockout," and interact with live actors portraying non-player characters (NPCs) who can reveal hidden storylines and quests. This gamified approach turns a park visit into a personal adventure.

Powering these experiences is iQIYI's significant investment in proprietary technology. The company is leveraging its own game engines, advanced virtual and mixed reality (MR) systems, and a sophisticated AI framework. iQIYI has already developed AI platforms like "Taodou World," which supports complex dialogues with over 1,200 NPCs, demonstrating its capacity to create dynamic and believable character interactions. This technological backbone is crucial for delivering the kind of high-fidelity, multisensory experiences that modern consumers, particularly in tech-savvy China, have come to expect.

The Rise of Local Lore in a Crowded Kingdom

While iQIYI's ambition is global, its strategy is firmly rooted in local culture. The park's greatest differentiator in a fiercely competitive market is its exclusive focus on Chinese intellectual property. iQIYI is entering an arena dominated by international giants like Shanghai Disney Resort, which drew nearly 15 million visitors in 2024, and Universal Beijing Resort, which has quickly become a benchmark for premium entertainment. It also faces powerful domestic rivals, including the Chimelong Group and Fantawild Holdings, which have already found success with homegrown themes.

iQIYI's counter-strategy is to leverage the deep cultural resonance of its own content. By building a world populated with characters and narratives beloved by millions of Chinese viewers, the company is tapping into a potent sense of national pride and cultural identity. This approach caters directly to a market eager to see its own stories celebrated on a grand scale. The appointment of "Shigeqintian," a popular music group formed on an iQIYI reality show, as global ambassadors reinforces this connection to contemporary Chinese pop culture, embedding the park's brand message—"Happiness Starts With You"—within a familiar and positive context.

This focus on indigenous IP could prove to be a decisive advantage. While Western brands have undeniable appeal, the demand for entertainment that reflects local values and narratives is growing rapidly. iQIYI is betting that the emotional connection fans have with its digital series and films will translate into a powerful desire to experience those worlds firsthand, creating a loyal audience that international parks may struggle to capture with the same depth.

The Future of Fandom: An Online-to-Offline Ecosystem

The launch of iQIYI LAND is the most visible manifestation of a broader industry trend: the creation of a seamless ecosystem bridging online and offline entertainment. For iQIYI, the park is not a standalone venture but a critical component of a flywheel designed to drive engagement across its entire platform. A captivating experience at the park can deepen a fan's loyalty to a specific IP, potentially driving them back to the streaming service to re-watch a series or discover new content. Conversely, a hit show on the platform becomes a powerful marketing engine for the park, creating instant demand for related attractions.

This symbiotic relationship offers a powerful model for monetizing intellectual property far beyond the initial screen time. As iQIYI plans to take its smaller VR projects to international locations like Dubai and Bangkok, it is clear the company views this online-to-offline strategy as a globally scalable blueprint. By transforming its extensive portfolio of stories into multisensory, real-world adventures, iQIYI is not just building a theme park; it is pioneering a new frontier of audience engagement, one where the boundary between viewer and participant dissolves entirely.