China's top sci-fi franchise, "The Three-Body Problem," has a new addition to its abundant and prosperous universe: a virtual reality interactive story called "Three-Body: Expedition," aimed at providing an immersive experience for science fiction fans and VR enthusiasts worldwide.

A player experiences "Three-Body: Expedition" in Beijing, Aug. 20, 2024. [Photo courtesy of The Three-Body Universe]

The VR experience, based on Liu Cixin's Hugo Award-winning novel, widely considered China's landmark sci-fi work, lets players immerse themselves in the story firsthand.

The project was unveiled on Tuesday in Beijing at a product launch event by Pico, a leading VR headset maker acquired by ByteDance in 2021. During the event, Pico announced that "Three-Body: Expedition" will be released on Aug. 26 on its platform.

"Three-Body: Expedition" uses 6 degrees of freedom (6DoF) panoramic interactive narration to guide players through key scenes from the book, such as the three-sun system and Qin Shi Huang computer. Players can also interact with characters from the novel.

The Three-Body Universe, a pioneering company in China's sci-fi industry that holds global rights for the "Three-Body" trilogy, said this was their first VR collaboration with Pico, allowing fans to experience the mysterious online game described in the book. The project represents another exploration of content that combines excellent Chinese stories with new technologies.

"For loyal fans of 'The Three-Body Problem,' this work will be a dream-come-true journey to new dimensions of experience," the company said in a statement.

"Audiences can step into the world they have imagined countless times, delve deeply into the character's inner worlds and life trajectories, and enhance their emotional resonance and identification with the original work through interactions with familiar figures.

"For those new to 'The Three-Body Problem' or VR experiences, this is a brand-new, 360-degree immersive adventure that can introduce them to the profound ideas and grand narratives of the original work, sparking a stronger interest in sci-fi literature."

A breathtaking still from "Three-Body: Expedition" recreates an iconic scene from the original novel. [Photo courtesy of The Three-Body Universe]

The Three-Body Universe spent two years developing the VR story with Pico's hardware support, focusing on design, visuals and gameplay. The company plans to continue producing immersive, interactive works using VR, mixed reality, and new media technologies, aiming to release one or two such projects annually.

The company also plans to create large-scale, in-person multiplayer extended reality experiences. "Three-Body: Expedition" will become the first such project. The company is also exploring artificial intelligence to improve virtual characters' behavior in games and interactions.

"The Three-Body Problem" has gained significant attention lately, with high-profile TV and animation series produced by Tencent Video and Bilibili, respectively. A much-anticipated live-action film adaptation by prominent Chinese filmmaker Zhang Yimou was also recently announced.

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