The9 Taps AI to Revive TVB Classic 'The Greed of Man' for a New Era

SHANGHAI, CN – February 11, 2026 – In a move that signals a significant convergence of classic media, artificial intelligence, and interactive entertainment, The9 Limited has announced a bold initiative to resurrect one of Hong Kong television's most iconic dramas. The Nasdaq-listed company revealed that its subsidiary, Shanghai The9, is partnering with tech firm Chengdu Lumosi to develop AI-powered short dramas and an AI-assisted interactive movie game based on the legendary TVB series, The Greed of Man (大时代).

This venture aims to leverage recent breakthroughs in generative AI video technology to reimagine the classic 1992 stock market saga for a modern, digital-native audience. By combining a beloved intellectual property with cutting-edge AI production workflows, The9 is betting on a new model for content creation that could dramatically alter the landscape of scripted entertainment.

The AI Production Pipeline

The core of The9's strategy lies in what it calls an "AI-native production workflow." The collaboration with Chengdu Lumosi will focus on using artificial intelligence for everything from script iteration and cinematic scene generation to creating the complex mechanics for an interactive story. This initiative arrives as the entertainment industry grapples with the disruptive power of large-scale video generation models like OpenAI's Sora and Runway's Gen-3 Alpha, which can create high-fidelity video from simple text prompts.

These technologies promise to revolutionize the economics of media production. The9's Chief Operating Officer, Gary Gao, highlighted this potential in the announcement. "Recent advances in generative AI video technologies are fundamentally reshaping the economics of scripted drama production and narrative-driven interactive entertainment," he stated. The goal is to slash production timelines, reduce costs, and rapidly prototype new content formats that are scalable for a global market increasingly hungry for short-form content.

By automating and augmenting parts of the creative process, AI-enabled pipelines can de-risk investments and allow creators to explore narrative possibilities that would be too costly or time-consuming with traditional methods. The partnership will develop hybrid prototypes that merge cinematic storytelling with player-driven decision systems, effectively placing the audience in the director's chair.

Revitalizing a Cultural Phenomenon

The choice of The Greed of Man is a strategic masterstroke. Far from being a dusty property from the archives, the series remains a potent cultural touchstone in Asia. First aired in 1992, the drama, starring Adam Cheng as the tragic antagonist Ting Hai, captivated audiences with its sprawling, decades-long story of family rivalry and stock market turmoil. Its impact was so profound that it spawned a stock market superstition known as the "Ting Hai effect," a peculiar phenomenon where the Hong Kong stock market tends to drop whenever a new show starring Cheng is released.

This enduring legacy provides The9 with a built-in audience and a rich narrative universe ripe for exploration. The series' complex plot, filled with dramatic moral choices and high-stakes financial gambles, is perfectly suited for adaptation into an interactive format where players can navigate the treacherous world of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange themselves. The project aims not just to retell a classic story but to allow a new generation to experience its dramatic weight through modern, interactive formats. By leveraging this powerful IP, The9 sidesteps the challenge of building an audience from scratch, instead tapping into decades of nostalgia and cultural relevance.

The Future of Fandom: Interactive and Personalized Narratives

This initiative points toward a future where the line between passive viewing and active participation becomes increasingly blurred. The market for interactive content is expanding rapidly, with one recent study indicating that over 65% of consumers are more likely to engage with content that includes interactive features. Streaming giants like Netflix have already tested these waters with titles such as Black Mirror: Bandersnatch, proving there is a significant appetite for choose-your-own-adventure style narratives.

By employing AI-driven storytelling mechanics, The9 and Chengdu Lumosi can potentially create far more complex and personalized experiences. AI can manage intricate branching narratives, allowing for a multitude of outcomes based on player decisions. This moves beyond simple A/B choices to create a story that feels uniquely responsive to each user. For fans of The Greed of Man, this could mean exploring alternate timelines, saving beloved characters from their tragic fates, or making different financial decisions to see how the epic saga might have unfolded.

This shift caters directly to the preferences of younger demographics, who are accustomed to the agency and immersion offered by video games. The global market for short-form video, dominated by platforms like TikTok and YouTube Shorts, is projected to exceed USD 600 billion by 2035, and The9's AI-powered short drama format is designed to capture a piece of this lucrative pie.

A New Battleground for Content Creation

The9 is not alone in its pursuit of AI-driven entertainment. The entire industry, from established Hollywood studios to nimble tech startups, is racing to harness the power of generative AI. Companies like Google, Meta, and a host of venture-backed startups are all developing tools to automate and enhance video production. The competitive landscape is fierce, with innovators constantly pushing the boundaries of what AI can create.

However, The9's strategy of pairing this technology with a high-value, licensed IP provides a distinct advantage. While many are focused on the raw capability of the technology, The9 is applying it to a proven story with a passionate following. The company has stated its commitment to operating within its authorized IP rights and plans to evaluate additional drama IPs for similar treatment in the future.

This announcement is more than just a new game or a web series; it represents what Gao calls a "structural evolution in digital entertainment." It is a calculated move to build a new kind of media company—one that stands at the intersection of technology, classic storytelling, and interactive design, pioneering the next chapter in how we create and consume stories.