From "self-development" to industry explosion, the nine new business ecosystems of the second dimension

With the booming development of ACG culture, this once niche field has now become the new favorite of the consumer market. The article deeply explores how ACG culture has moved from the margins to the mainstream, as well as its nine new ecosystems in the business field. From theme restaurants to virtual idols, from skills training to Cosplay culture, the ACG economy is reshaping the face of the modern consumer market with its unique charm and huge market potential.

In recent years, as the size of the ACG community continues to expand, the influence of ACG culture is no longer limited to niche hobby circles, but extends to every corner of the consumer market. According to iiMedia Research, the number of Chinese ACG users has climbed to 503 million in 2024. At the same time, the size of the ACG and surrounding markets has soared to 597.7 billion yuan.

The ACG consumer group, which is centered around young people, not only demonstrates a strong willingness to consume and outstanding spending power, but is also extremely loyal to their favorite ACG IPs. As a result, under the influence of ACG culture, new business forms are constantly emerging in multiple consumer markets such as content creation, product sales, and cultural and tourism services.

1. Two-dimensional themed dining: a world beyond reality

With the deep penetration of the two-dimensional culture such as animation and games, the huge fan base behind them has gradually evolved into a main consumer group with great vitality and loyalty in the consumer market. The more than 500 million pan-two-dimensional people and the market size of nearly 600 billion are enough to show that the two-dimensional market is no longer limited to a single content field, but has achieved a new pattern of coordinated development of content industry and peripheral derivative industries.

In addition to the era of deep integration of commercial innovation and cultural consumption, some leading stores (referring to stores or merchants that specialize in selling peripheral products related to animation, games, etc.) have turned their attention to the field of IP theme catering, creating more comprehensive and diversified IP offline experience spaces, and thus creating richer consumption scenarios.

Different from the short-term IP joint marketing common in the chain catering industry, theme catering is usually deeply built around a specific IP. It is a model that systematically integrates IP culture with catering services. From the overall visual design of the store, such as the store decoration style and decorative ornaments, the IP characteristics are fully presented. At the same time, IP-related dishes are developed, and corresponding small cards, postcards, coasters, badges, pillows and other peripheral products are given away to create a distinctive consumption space. In order to better control the service quality and consumer experience, some theme stores will also adopt a reservation system, which further enhances the exclusive experience unique to the two-dimensional circle.

In terms of details, there are two main types of ACG themed restaurants. The first type is the IP-themed joint restaurant that mainly operates in the form of a flash event. This type of restaurant usually cooperates with popular IPs such as animation, games, and novels. Therefore, the store decoration is not static, but is updated and renovated from time to time according to different IPs at specific time points. At the same time, special menus that match the theme and limited grains with collectible value (i.e. IP-related peripheral products) are developed and launched.

The second type is a single IP licensed theme restaurant, which focuses on a specific series of IPs and strives to create an immersive consumer experience space. From the design of the tableware in the store to the style selection of tables, chairs and stools, to the research and development of dishes, everything is closely centered around the IP, striving to deeply restore the classic scenes and elements in the IP. Similarly, the restaurant will also sell related IP peripheral products with the set meal.

When consumers pay more attention to IP than the food itself, the prices of 2D theme restaurants are often in a higher range. Take the recent Demon Slayer theme of 2D Lollipop for example, the cheapest drink in the restaurant is priced at 38 yuan, the dessert yogurt bowl is priced at 42 yuan, and the main meal set is generally 68 yuan, which is significantly higher than the common fast food chain brands.

However, with the blessing of the two-dimensional world, there are many people who "eat vicious and beautiful meals in order to buy high-priced millet". The Jingzhe Research Institute found in the notes and comments area of ​​the relevant theme restaurant topics that many netizens who have been there said that the dishes they launched were "both unpalatable and expensive."

In fact, in essence, the emergence of the new business model of two-dimensional theme catering is the industry's deep exploration of the potential of the fan economy and the construction of a high value-added business model. However, in the field of fan economy, there is a long-standing misconception: consumers are willing to pay a high price for emotions. However, the facts are quite the opposite. It is precisely because of this deep love that consumers have higher expectations for their favorite objects and will make more demands in all aspects. It can be said that whether the high expectations of this group of people can be accurately grasped and met has become an invisible threshold.

2. Surrounding Millet: A wall of the second dimension, a house in Beijing

The core of ACG culture is the love for virtual characters and stories. By purchasing and collecting "millet", fans can materialize their emotions for virtual characters, so "millet" is inseparable from ACG cultural consumption. Today, the rise of millet circle culture has become a consumer force that cannot be ignored. According to the data of the "2024-2025 China Millet Economic Market Analysis Report", the scale of China's millet economy market will reach 168.9 billion yuan in 2024, an increase of 40.63% over 2023. It is expected that the scale of China's millet economy market will exceed 300 billion yuan in 2029.

In a broad sense, Guzi can be any anime, game, trendy toys, or even celebrity-related merchandise. Today, the products sold in Guzi stores or official game flagship stores are mainly badges, pendants, liuma, laser tickets, postcards, setting collections, and other peripheral products with a unit price of more than ten to several dozen yuan.

*Photo provided by interviewee Nini

Although the unit price of millet is not high in general, when the unit price is multiplied by the sales volume contributed by a large user group, it can also generate a strong market scale. For example, Jingzhe Research Institute saw in a certain game official flagship store that many badges priced at 12 yuan to 18 yuan had sales of more than 100,000, which means that only one badge product can generate sales of millions of yuan. In addition, according to Star Chart data monitoring, during this year's Tmall Double 11, miHoYo and Paper Games both had sales of over 100 million yuan, and miHoYo's Tmall flagship store was sold to become the first flagship store of a trendy toy brand to exceed 100 million yuan during this year's Double 11.

Nini, an ACG enthusiast working in Shanghai, told the Jingzhe Research Institute, "When I was a kid, I collected stickers. When I grew up, I collected millets. A postcard of more than ten yuan and a badge of twenty or thirty yuan seemed to be acceptable, but I bought several at a time. I bought limited editions, market vendors, and co-branded ones. Each kind of millet has its own collection value. In addition, offline stores are more expensive. Even if you pick up three or four badges, the price is more than one hundred yuan. Some badges are sold in the form of blind boxes. If you want to get the character badge you want, you may have to buy it in boxes, and you may get duplicate characters."

Nini said that the valley circle has a unique pricing system. The most basic pricing factor is the number of valleys issued. In addition, the character IP will be divided into different levels of popularity, such as "cold, warm, and hot", according to its popularity. The higher the popularity of the IP, the higher the price of the related valleys. "Hot valleys such as Gojo Satoru, Dazai Osamu, Ikawa Toru, and Sakuma Rei not only occupy half of the valley stores in number, but also cost dozens of times more than unpopular valleys. Some limited edition 'Seaview Valleys' can even be sold for five figures. To outsiders, it seems like they just spent tens of thousands of yuan to buy a palm-sized anime iron badge."

In fact, the popularity of millet is not only reflected in sales and prices, but also in its social influence among young people. On Xiaohongshu, the number of views of topics related to "millet" has exceeded 3.4 billion. The role of millet in young people's social interaction is not limited to online communication. For fans of the second dimension, "millet" has far exceeded the definition of a commodity and has become a gift between "co-sharers". In various offline comic exhibitions, anime-themed gatherings and other activities, millet has become an indispensable social "free material" (free peripherals, usually printed by individuals).

Although there are price chaos caused by speculation and consumption impulse caused by the collecting craze in the market, it is undeniable that the rise of valley circle culture has become an irreversible trend. In the long run, how to further guide the realization of balanced coexistence of commercial value and cultural connotation on the basis of respecting fans' emotions and market laws will be an important issue facing the entire industry.

3. Fan creation and trading: the interweaving of love and profit

"2D" people not only have strong purchasing power, but also abundant creativity.

With the integration of different online and offline channels, the ACG community can access and support their favorite IPs in more ways. In this process, many ACG fans have gradually transformed from spectators to creators, and started to engage in secondary creation, personal customization or fan creation, showing a stronger sense of interactivity and participation. This phenomenon is not limited to a specific field. It may be animation, novels, or games. This phenomenon that spans different platforms and even national borders has formed a global secondary creation cultural ecology.

Early secondary works were mostly circulated in the "fan circle", where like-minded people communicated with each other and fan works were spread in a small range, but only among players who knew about fan works and creators in the circle. Fan fiction and illustrations created by fans can often be seen on social platforms such as Weibo Super Topic, Lofter, and Ai Fadian. Although the production level is uneven, they can still gain a group of loyal audiences in a small range with sincere emotions.

In addition, Jingzhe Research Institute learned that fan groups have begun to connect with the official, and a business model centered on "fan works" has emerged. For example, some game officials regularly collect fan works and display them through Weibo, official websites and other platforms, allowing fan works to spread among a large number of game players.

It can be said that this interactive model has formed a virtuous circle. For players and fans, they have more opportunities to express themselves and share their responsibilities; for IP companies, they have gained a more loyal user base and a constant source of creative inspiration. More importantly, this way of cooperation has also promoted the healthy development of the entire industry, allowing more people to see the tremendous power contained in fan creation.

It can be seen that fan-made secondary works are often full of unique understandings of the original IP. In the process of production, the original work has been interpreted to varying degrees, and a lot of the creator's creativity and personal style have been incorporated into it. In the process of commercial realization, the creator actually transforms his own creativity and understanding of the original work into economic value. However, on the other hand, this also involves the issue of whether there will be infringement. Behind the "ambiguous" IP application, copyright risk is always the sword of Damocles hanging over the heads of creators.

According to the current cultural ecology, it is foreseeable that with the deep integration of IP industry and secondary creative culture, more creative and commercially valuable works will be born. In this process, how to balance the relationship between copyright protection and creative freedom, and how to build a more perfect co-creation mechanism will be the key factors that determine whether this new model can continue to develop.

4. Second dimension related skills training: outsiders become "masters" in seconds

In recent years, the two-dimensional industry, such as animation and games, has shown explosive growth worldwide. According to data released by Zhiyan Consulting, the scale of China's animation industry has increased from 114.4 billion yuan in 2015 to 252.5 billion yuan in 2023. In the field of two-dimensional games, according to the data of the "2024 Two-Dimensional Industry Research Report", in 2023, the scale of two-dimensional games will reach 80.1 billion yuan, which has become an important part of the two-dimensional industry and will continue to grow steadily in the future. In particular, two-dimensional games adapted from domestic animation also have great room for development.

The vigorous development of two-dimensional industries such as animation and games has not only broadened the cultural consumption market, but also led to a surge in demand for related skills training. From character design, scene drawing, story writing, dubbing and music, to animation production and game development, every link requires a large number of talents with professional skills.

Faced with the huge potential of the market, many training institutions have begun to add courses such as ACG painting, animation design, and audio comic dubbing. There are also training institutions focusing on the ACG field to create a full-process training system. The fees of such institutions range from a few thousand yuan to tens of thousands of yuan, and the learning period usually starts from 3 months.

Jingzhe Research Institute found that in the two-dimensional skill training market, consumer behavior also shows diverse characteristics.

On the one hand, many young ACG fans are eager to transform their interests into professional skills due to their love for animation and games. Another part of consumers are considering job transformation or part-time jobs. In addition, with the overwhelming training advertisements such as "300 yuan per hour, you can make money by dubbing" and "1 yuan to sign up for painting lessons, challenge to earn more than 10,000 yuan a month", many young people hope to quickly master ACG-related skills such as dubbing, illustration, and writing through training to improve their competitiveness in the job market.

However, Jingzhe Research Institute mentioned in "How can learning illustration quickly from scratch become a large IQ tax?" that many training institutions attract young people with "low threshold and high return", but in fact there are hidden traps, such as false propaganda, induced consumption, and promised part-time resources are not fulfilled. In this seemingly lively field, there are actually many hidden reefs.

However, as a derivative market of the development of the ACG industry, the ACG skills training market still has huge business potential and room for development. Whether it is young people who love the ACG industry or those who are seeking career transformation, they should remain vigilant and not "filter" the industry because of their hobbies. At the same time, training institutions should be honest and provide truly high-quality and practical training courses to avoid letting this potential field become a tool for bad businesses to make money. Only in this way can the ACG industry continue to soar with the support of talents.

5. Cosplay costumes, props and commissions: a business that breaks through the dimensional wall

As the two-dimensional culture has become more popular, Cosplay has gradually transformed from a niche hobby into mass entertainment, and even a business that can make money. According to research data from Betzers Consulting, the global Cosplay clothing market size will reach US$4.75 billion in 2024 and is expected to reach US$8.65 billion by 2029.

The continuous output and diversified development of animation, games and other works have provided a rich source of materials for Cosplay. At the same time, the business operation model of the two-dimensional industry has become increasingly mature. Through the linkage with peripheral products, games, film and television, the popularity and influence of IP characters have been further enhanced, which has indirectly promoted the growth of Cosplay market demand. The frequent holding of comic exhibitions, offline fan activities and other activities also provide a platform for Cosplay enthusiasts to show themselves. At the same time, these activities have attracted a large number of audiences and formed a strong Cosplay cultural atmosphere.

From a personal hobby in the second dimension to real life in the third dimension, Cosplay is no longer just role-playing, but has also spawned an industry with strong market demand. Related businesses such as prop production, rental, and commissioned costumes have also emerged.

In the field of costumes and props, there are two main modes: private hand-made customization and mass production. Private hand-made customization of costumes and props is usually made by professional prop masters or craftsmen according to the specific needs of customers, focusing on details and quality, and can highly restore the prop image of anime characters, but the production cycle is long and the price is relatively high.

Jingzhe Research Institute consulted a craftsman who has been in the industry for ten years on Xiaohongshu about the Canaan cosplay costume of "Naraka: Bladepoint". The other party said that the cosplay costume is 3,000 yuan in stock, 4,000 yuan for a new one, and the rental price is 350 yuan. In addition, Jingzhe Research Institute also found that some high-end stores have temporarily stopped taking orders because their schedules are full. Many craftsmen said that the schedules have been scheduled until the second half of 2025.

Compared with the high price and long production period of private hand-made props, mass-produced props focus on meeting the needs of the mass market. Through mold making and industrialized production, they reduce costs and improve production efficiency. The price is also more affordable, suitable for consumers who are new to the Cosplay field or are more sensitive to prices. Such props are widely sold on e-commerce platforms, such as anime character headdresses, simple weapon props, etc., with prices ranging from tens to hundreds of yuan.

In the cosplay world, there is a profession called "毛娘", who specializes in taking care of wigs for cosplayers or trimming and styling wigs for the characters they want to cosplay. If it is just trimming and styling, the labor fee is about tens of yuan to 200 yuan. If you need to apply a hairline/make a hair bun/curl/dye, the labor fee is between 100 yuan and 300 yuan; in addition, some "anti-gravity" wigs that need to be embedded with iron wire for fixing, the labor fee ranges from 150 yuan to thousands of yuan; if it is a simulated hand-hook style, the labor fee may start at thousands of yuan.

In addition, Jingzhe Research Institute also mentioned in the article "Bet-game Players Fall in Love with "2.5-Dimensional Boyfriends"" that with the increase in market demand, commissioned Cosplay has become a hot business. Some experienced Cosplay teams or amateur Cosplays design and play designated roles according to customer needs to get paid. The dating projects range from ordinary dating to photo shoots with the main characters and even wedding photos. The commission fee is generally calculated on a daily basis, ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand yuan per day. Some professional Cosplays not only have tight schedules, but also charge higher prices than the market average.

However, since cosplay commissions lack standardized service content and the service experience is highly dependent on the emotional value and role restoration provided by the coser, disputes are prone to arise between the owner and the coser. Since the dating experience and the role makeup restoration are largely evaluated based on subjective feelings, there is often a lack of effective ways to protect rights when disputes arise.

However, from the perspective of the market environment, the transformation of Cosplay from a niche hobby in the second dimension to the mass entertainment and commercial field of the "third dimension" is the result of the combined effects of multiple factors such as culture, economy, and society. The popularity of the second dimension market proves that this cultural phenomenon will not fade away easily. On the contrary, with the help of the continuous development of technology and market demand, Cosplay will continue to attract more people with its unique charm.

6. Virtual idol live broadcast: A new way to make money in the AI ​​e-commerce era

As the wave of digitalization sweeps the world, the consumer market is also experiencing profound changes brought about by new technologies such as AI, VR, and AR. As one of the industries in the second dimension, virtual idol anchors are gradually emerging and attracting more and more attention.

Different from real anchors, virtual idol anchors are digital images constructed through a series of complex technologies such as computer graphics, motion capture, and speech synthesis. Virtual idols not only represent the integration and innovation of technology and entertainment, but also open up a new star form and business model.

The concept of virtual idol anchors originated in Japan. Early virtual idols were relatively simple in image. They were mainly active in specific fields such as animation and games, and existed as a small part of the two-dimensional culture. For example, Hatsune Miku quickly became popular among two-dimensional fans with her unique green twin ponytails and sweet singing voice, becoming an iconic figure in the early development of virtual idols. At this stage, the commercial realization model of virtual idols was relatively simple, mainly relying on traditional two-dimensional profit methods such as music sales and peripheral product development, and its influence was also mainly limited to the group of animation and game fans.

With the rapid development of artificial intelligence technology, the production level of virtual idol anchors has been significantly improved, with more realistic images, smoother movements, and smarter interactions. At the same time, its application scenarios have gradually expanded to live broadcasts, advertising, film and television, and other fields. According to QYR's statistics and forecasts, the global virtual idol market sales reached US$4.448 billion in 2023 and are expected to reach US$36.42 billion in 2030.

In China, the virtual idol market has also entered a period of rapid development, and many companies have entered the market to create virtual idol anchors with their own characteristics. For example, the virtual idol girl group A-SOUL launched by Lehua Entertainment in 2020 has accumulated a large number of fans through live broadcasts, offline activities and other methods. Its commercial value has also been recognized by the market, and it has begun to cooperate with major brands to carry out commercial activities such as advertising endorsements and live broadcasts, marking the beginning of the entry of virtual idol anchors into the mainstream business field.

At present, the virtual idol anchor market presents a diversified development trend. On the one hand, virtual idols of different types and styles have sprung up like mushrooms after a rain, covering a variety of image characteristics from two-dimensional style to realistic style, from cute style to cool style, to meet the preferences of different audience groups. On the other hand, commercial realization models are also becoming increasingly rich. In addition to traditional brand cooperation and live streaming, new business models such as virtual idol concerts, virtual variety shows, and virtual idols and fans co-creating content have also emerged.

However, as the market continues to expand, competition has become increasingly fierce. Major virtual idol production companies and platforms have launched all-round competition in technology research and development, content creation, fan operations, etc. How to stand out among the many virtual idols has become a severe challenge faced by every practitioner. As a product of the deep integration of technology and entertainment, virtual idol anchors have shown great business potential and development opportunities. In the future, with the continuous innovation of technology, virtual idols are expected to achieve more stable and long-term development in the digital age.

7. 2D Concert: Anime and Songs I Followed in Those Years

With the popularization of the Internet and the rise of social media, the spread of ACG content has increased exponentially. It is not difficult to see that the influence of ACG IP has now expanded from online to offline. At the same time, the music performance industry has also achieved breakthrough growth. According to data from the China Performance Industry Association, the large-scale performance market has continued to rise in the first half of the year, and the box office revenue of concerts and music festivals has increased by 134.73% year-on-year. The ACG culture is also "adding bricks and tiles" to domestic music festivals. A large number of musicians targeting ACG audiences have appeared on major music stages, becoming a guarantee for music festival box office.

In addition, pure ACG-themed music festivals are gradually entering the public eye. The Jingzhe Research Institute saw on Damai.com that from the second half of December to mid-January 2025, there are nearly 20 music festivals selling tickets nationwide. The prices are mostly around 50-500 yuan.

In the Chinese ACG circle, in addition to ancient music artists and CVs who frequently appear on the stage of music festivals, Japanese ACG musicians are a mainstream force. For example, during the May Day holiday, music festivals in Hangzhou, Tianjin and other places successively appeared YOASOBI, yama and other Japanese musicians who are very popular in the domestic ACG community. At the Hangzhou West Lake Music Festival held just last month, Japanese ACG musicians such as Shenyangyang and Reol also appeared.

In addition, there is a special type of ACG concert, in which the protagonists are virtual singers or ACG idol groups. This type of concert relies on advanced holographic projection, motion capture, real-time rendering and other technologies to present realistic virtual images and wonderful stage effects. For example, on October 5 this year, Luo Tianyi, the world's first Chinese virtual singer, held a holographic concert "Infinite Resonance" at the Jing'an Sports Center in Shanghai. Holographic projection technology combined with naked-eye 3D and lighting effects allowed the virtual and the real to merge, completely subverting the perception of traditional concerts.

As the performance lineup becomes more two-dimensional, the penetration of two-dimensional culture in the music scene becomes more and more obvious. Popular music festival "free" exchange, Cosplay, expanding the circle of friends, stamp collecting and other small circle cultures among music fans have also emerged in music festivals, becoming a new way for the younger generation of music fans to socialize.

The reason why the two-dimensional culture can enter the music festival is mainly due to the rapid growth of the two-dimensional content industry, and the market of hundreds of billions is an extremely attractive resource for the music festival market that is in urgent need of expanding its audience. Secondly, behind the widespread music festival market in the mainland is the dilemma of saturation and homogenization. According to the data of the "China Music Festival Market Report in the First Half of 2024", a total of 148 music festivals were held in the country in the first half of 2024. Compared with the same period in 2023, the popularity of performances showed a downward trend. In addition, Japanese musicians are relatively scarce in the domestic music market, and Japanese comics often have a wide range of two-dimensional audiences in the mainland. Therefore, Japanese musicians who are well-known to two-dimensional audiences can also bring potential audiences and income to music festivals.

In the context of fierce competition in the current performance market, the renewal of music festivals is imperative, and the integration of two-dimensional culture is one of the important directions for the innovative development of music festivals. However, while integrating two-dimensional culture, music festivals also need to solve the problem of the integration of two-dimensional and three-dimensional culture, so as to achieve long-term development and contribute to the diversified integration development of the cultural industry.

8. Landmarks of the Second Dimension Consumption City: The “Happy Hometown” of Young People

The consumption of ACG IP content is booming, and irregular offline activities and various performances are obviously unable to meet the current surging demand for ACG IP consumption. As a result, a large number of core business districts in cities are creating their own ACG consumption city landmarks, including Shanghai Bailian ZX, Beijing BOM Xifanli, Shenzhen BitCity Dimension Town, Hangzhou Gonglian CC, Chengdu Tianfuhong, Wuhan Trend Box X118, and more than 20 first- and second-tier cities in China have created more than 60 core business districts.

At present, the two-dimensional commercial landmarks in China are roughly divided into two types. One is the "explosive transformation" of traditional department stores. Bailian ZX Creative Fun Center, the first commercial entity in China focusing on two-dimensional culture, is one of the representatives. The explosive transformation has indeed boosted the mall's passenger flow and sales. According to the data disclosed in Bailian's 2023 financial report, since its grand opening in January 2023, Bailian ZX has created sales of up to 300 million yuan by the end of that year. Not only that, its daily passenger flow has repeatedly set records, reaching a maximum of 75,000 people. This year, Bailian ZX is still working hard. In the first three quarters, Bailian ZX's sales revenue increased by 84% year-on-year, and passenger flow increased by about 40% year-on-year.

The second category is that traditional shopping malls have set up special areas for ACG culture. Shanghai Jing'an Joy City is a typical example. Jing'an Joy City has set up a specific area for the display and operation of ACG culture while retaining its own comprehensive commercial advantages. In this special area, various ACG brand stores are concentrated, including limited edition model stores, anime theme restaurants, creative ACG clothing stores, etc., which meet consumers' centralized purchasing needs for ACG products. Moreover, by carefully designing the spatial environment of the special area, a unique ACG atmosphere is created, which forms a distinct style difference from other areas of the shopping mall, attracting the core audience of ACG without making non-ACG consumers feel abrupt.

In fact, whether searching for relevant information on social platforms or going offline to experience it in person, you will find that the influence of the two-dimensional business entity is rapidly expanding, and the two-dimensional landmark has become a popular scene for young people to punch in and consume. However, although its audience is large and loyal, it still has certain niche and limitations compared to the entire consumer market. This requires commercial landmarks to accurately meet the deep needs of core two-dimensional fans during operation, and to think about how to attract a wider range of potential consumers through innovative marketing methods. Only in this way can we achieve the continuous growth of commercial value and the continuous improvement of social benefits while meeting the spiritual and cultural needs of two-dimensional fans, and create a new situation for the development of two-dimensional business.

9. Dimension + Cultural Tourism: Unlocking New Travel Experiences

In recent years, under the background of the integration of culture and tourism, the innovative combination of IP and cultural tourism industry has shown remarkable momentum. The two-dimensional world has the characteristics of strong user stickiness, long industrial chain and high plasticity, and cultural tourism projects have also brought new consumer groups to the two-dimensional IP with concrete scenes and spaces. The integration of IP + cultural tourism forms a complete closed loop of "IP + cultural tourism" by fully exploring the local culture of each city and then promoting the revival of local tourism culture through consumption.

At present, the domestic two-dimensional IP and cultural tourism integration projects are in a booming trend. From theme parks, scenic spots to characteristic towns, cultural blocks, etc., two-dimensional IPs can be seen everywhere. For example, in May this year, Light and Night Love announced the "Light Escape Plan - Five-Day Tour in Hebei", recommending five scenic spots in Hebei for players. While other players are still spending money to buy peripherals, some players have already gone out to travel.

Coincidentally, in May, Honor of Kings teamed up with Guangdong Culture and Tourism to perfectly combine game elements such as Luban Lion Dance Skin and Bruce Lee Skin with Guangdong's Lion Dance Culture and Lingnan Martial Arts Culture on the opening page of the Honor of Kings game, jointly showing the extraordinary charm of "Vibrant Guangdong". Previously, Honor of Kings also collaborated with Chengdu Jinsha Site Museum, Nanchang Tengwang Pavilion, Dunhuang Academy and other institutions to launch theme skins.

Through games, a powerful communication medium, historical and cultural relics from all over the country are vividly presented to the majority of players. This not only enhances the cultural connotation of the game, but also brings massive exposure and tourist traffic to these cultural attractions, successfully realizing the organic interaction between culture and games, online and offline, and opening up a new path for the integrated development of culture and tourism.

The success of this integration model is first of all due to the strong fan appeal of the two-dimensional IP. The two-dimensional culture represented by animation and games has a deep mass base among young people. When this group of people are eager to personally participate in the virtual world constructed by the IP, this emotional demand provides a broad market space for the development of cultural tourism projects.

Secondly, cultural tourism projects provide a wealth of monetization channels and physical carriers for ACG IP. Through cooperation with cultural tourism industries such as scenic spots, hotels, and restaurants, ACG IP can transform virtual images and stories into real consumption scenarios, such as themed homestays, anime restaurants, and IP-authorized souvenir shops, greatly expanding its commercial value.

The integration of ACG IP and cultural tourism is an inevitable trend in the development of the cultural and tourism industry, and is also an important measure to meet the diverse needs of consumers and promote the prosperity of local economy and culture. The two-way rush of the two fully exerts the advantages in cultural inheritance, scene shaping, image communication and other aspects. At the same time, with the rise of the younger generation of consumer groups and the change of consumption concepts, the demand for cultural experience consumption will continue to increase, which will also provide a broader market space for the integration of ACG IP and cultural tourism industry.

Summarize

For the consumer market, the value of "ACG" lies not only in the continuous growth of the consumer group, but also in the fact that young consumers who love ACG are increasingly willing to "buy". As the target user group that the consumer market always pursues, the young generation of consumers gathered behind ACG culture has become an emerging force to promote changes in the current consumer market.

It is worth mentioning that compared with the considerable potential user base in China, the domestic ACG economy is still a "blue ocean" that has not yet been fully cultivated. This also means that in the future, relying on the characteristics of the ACG industry chain, ACG IP will be commercialized in various forms, from content creation to product production, to marketing promotion and consumer experience, and huge economic value and development potential will burst out in every link.

The continuous emergence of new business models is like a microcosm of the advancement of the two-dimensional world, and the potential market size behind it cannot be underestimated.

*Nini in the article is a pseudonym.

The times require new species, which are the lifestyles of young people, hot and popular businesses, popular innovative products, and new vitality.

Author | Chuxia This article is written by the operation author [Jingzhe Research Institute], WeChat public account: [Jingzhe Research Institute], original/authorized to be published in the operation party, and reproduction is prohibited without permission.

The title image is from Unsplash, based on the CC0 protocol.