Wenhui: 2022 World Artificial Intelligence Conference

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元宇宙方兴未艾，谁执牛耳？2022世界人工智能大会之游戏·AI元宇宙·高峰论坛昨天举行，米哈游、腾讯、网易、阿里等一批国内游戏圈大厂受邀参加活动，畅谈元宇宙与游戏的未来。
The burgeoning trend of the Metaverse, who holds the reins? The Game·AI Metaverse·Summit Forum of the 2022 World Artificial Intelligence Conference took place yesterday, with major domestic gaming giants like miHoYo, Tencent, NetEase, Alibaba, and more participating to discuss the future of the Metaverse and gaming.

伽马数据总经理滕华表示，元宇宙需要两个维度：内容和技术，前者为元宇宙提供存在的价值和意义，后者为搭建元宇宙提供可能性，而游戏是将两者结合得最好的行业之一。微软技术总裁也在最近表示，元宇宙和游戏关系非常密切。
Teng Hua, General Manager of Gamma Data, mentioned that the Metaverse requires two dimensions: content and technology. The former provides value and meaning to the Metaverse's existence, while the latter offers possibilities for its construction. Gaming is considered one of the best industries to combine these two dimensions. Microsoft's Chief Technology Officer recently stated that the relationship between the Metaverse and gaming is very close.

万物皆可元宇宙。当下，各行各业都在布局元宇宙，但是想要构建元宇宙，需要一个支点，不少专家认为这个支点很可能就是游戏，而在大家死磕技术时，作为后起之秀的米哈游选择了做好内容这条路。
Everything can be part of the Metaverse. Currently, various industries are positioning themselves in the Metaverse landscape, but building the Metaverse requires a pivot. Many experts believe that this pivot could very well be gaming. While everyone is engrossed in technological challenges, miHoYo, a relatively new player, has chosen the path of excelling in content.

## What Does miHoYo, A Self-Proclaimed Anime Company, Really Want to Convey?

“到2030年，打造10亿人愿意生活在其中的虚拟空间。”这是米哈游创始人蔡浩宇近年来不断强调的愿景。尽管这个虚拟空间的概念看上去颇似最近大热的元宇宙，但在公开场合，米哈游似乎从来没有提到过元宇宙。
"By 2030, create a virtual space where 1 billion people are willing to live." This is the vision that miHoYo's founder, Cai Haoyu, has been emphasizing in recent years. Although this concept of a virtual space resembles the currently trending Metaverse, miHoYo has never publicly mentioned the term "Metaverse."

不要看他们说了什么，而要看做了什么。《原神》上线后，每42天一个版本的稳定更新频率，打破了国内游戏圈的一些规则。3.0版本开放后，米哈游更是宣布将更新频率缩短为五周，展现出其异常强大的游戏工业实力。
It's not about what they say, but about what they do. After the launch of *Genshin Impact,* the game adopted a stable update frequency of one major version every 42 days, breaking some conventions in the Chinese gaming industry. With the release of Version 3.0, miHoYo even announced that the update frequency would be shortened to five weeks, showcasing their exceptionally strong gaming industry capabilities.

有人可能意识不到什么，但结合米哈游对外宣称“我们不是一家游戏公司，而是一家动漫公司”就可以看出，米哈游是将游戏做成了番剧，而其本质就是运用其强大的品控和运营能力，不断向全世界输出优质内容。
Some might not realize it, but when coupled with miHoYo's claim of "We are not a gaming company, but an anime company," it becomes apparent that miHoYo has transformed games into anime series. Their essence lies in utilizing their robust quality control and operational abilities to consistently deliver high-quality content worldwide.

另一方面，游戏正在变得越来越具有平台属性。滕华展示了一份面向中、美、日、英四国14-50岁消费者对游戏世界社交的潜在兴趣调查，结果发现，78%的中国消费者表示可能或一定会在游戏世界中进行社交，包括四处闲逛、与人聊天、参加游戏中的音乐会或其他活动。游戏举办的非游戏类活动也越来越多，比如毕业典礼、生日派对甚至婚礼。
On the other hand, games are becoming increasingly platform-oriented. Teng Hua presented a survey of potential social interests in the gaming world among consumers aged 14-50 from China, the United States, Japan, and the United Kingdom. The results showed that 78% of Chinese consumers are likely or certain to engage in social activities in the gaming world. This includes wandering around, chatting with others, attending in-game concerts or other events. Non-gaming events hosted within games are also growing, including graduation ceremonies, birthday parties, and even weddings.

不断输出的优质内容很容易借游戏的社交属性被广为传播。当《原神》推出新版本、新角色后朋友圈里聊的话题，很容易带动新人入坑，最近原神与必胜客的联动也将成为二次元爱好者社交的平台。
Continuously generating high-quality content can easily be widely spread through the social attributes of games. When new versions or characters are released in *Genshin Impact*, the topics discussed in social circles can easily attract newcomers to the game. The recent collaboration between *Genshin Impact* and Pizza Hut will also become a platform for social interaction among two-dimensional (ACG) enthusiasts.

宇宙，或许由此展开。
The universe, perhaps, unfolds from here.

## Which Door People Choose to Open in the Metaverse is Determined by Content

为什么内容对于元宇宙来说如此重要？
Why is content so crucial for the Metaverse?

让我们暂时将目光从米哈游身上移开，来了解一下元宇宙的本质。尽管这个词目前还没有人能定义，但不少专家学者已经表达过对它的看法。
Let's momentarily shift our focus away from miHoYo and delve into the essence of the Metaverse. Although the term hasn't been definitively defined yet, many experts and scholars have expressed their perspectives on it.

在上海树图区块链研究院院长龙凡看来，元宇宙和现实世界最大的区别，在于改变了时空关系。有意思的是，树图研究院就在距离全球人工智能大会徐汇分会场不到1000米的地方。
According to Long Fan, Director of the Shanghai ShuTu Blockchain Research Institute, the primary distinction between the Metaverse and the real world lies in altering the relationship between time and space. Interestingly, the Shutu Research Institute is situated less than 1000 meters away from the venue of the World Artificial Intelligence Conference in Xuhui.

在现实中，如果有10个景点你都很想去，你很可能会挑选距离你近的那个，但是在虚拟空间里，无论你想去卢浮宫还是莫高窟，都是刷一下就到。于是，决定人们去往哪里的关键变成了哪扇门后的内容比较吸引你。
In the physical world, if you have ten places you really want to visit, you would likely choose the one closest to you. However, in the virtual space, whether you want to visit the Louvre or the Mogao Caves, it's just a click away. Thus, the key determining factor for where people go becomes the content behind the door that entices you more.

同样是虚拟演唱会，一个大IP吸引的人数和小IP吸引的人数哪个多不言而喻，但是它们可能用到的是同样的技术。技术当然重要的，你可能很难想象，现在从一段文案到一段动画，只要三四个小时。
Likewise, considering virtual concerts, the obvious difference in the number of attendees drawn by a major IP versus a minor IP speaks for itself. However, they might be utilizing the same technology. While technology is certainly crucial, it might be hard to believe that creating a piece of content, whether it's a piece of text or an animation, now only takes three to four hours.

在技术溢出的情况下，现在其实是陷入了内容稀缺时代，从优质IP被不断翻拍就能看出这个趋势。
In a situation of technology overflow, we are actually entering an era of content scarcity. This trend can be seen in the continuous remakes of high-quality IPs, indicating the current shortage of compelling content.

## All Industries Are Gearing Up for the Metaverse

没有一家互联网企业会错过元宇宙这个风口，但如何进入元宇宙，大家选择的赛道并不相同。
There isn't a single internet company that will overlook the trend of the Metaverse, but the pathways chosen to enter it vary greatly.

腾讯游戏多媒体引擎副总经理左小祥关注人与人之间的沟通，他分享了两个使用场景，一个是腾讯会议，另一个是虚拟演唱会。现在的腾讯会议，大家都是各开一个视频，未来可能就你开了腾讯会议APP，我打开的是王者荣耀，你看到我呈现的是王者荣耀的形象，声音也是专属定制的一款声音。在虚拟演唱会中，粉丝和偶像也是在虚拟会议室，每个粉丝是打开摄像头的，偶像是一个虚拟人，可以做到实时互动。
Zuo Xiaoxiang, Deputy General Manager of Tencent Game Multimedia Engine, focuses on communication between individuals. He shared two usage scenarios: one involving Tencent Meeting and the other being a virtual concert. In the current version of Tencent Meeting, each participant has their own video feed. In the future, it might be that while you are using the Tencent Meeting app, I am playing *Honor of Kings*. You would see me as a character from *Honor of Kings*, and my voice would be customized to match the game. In a virtual concert, fans and idols are in a virtual meeting room. Each fan uses their camera, while the idol appears as a virtual character, allowing for real-time interaction.

阿里巴巴云游戏事业部（元境）副总经理龙志勇介绍了在元游戏方面的探索，他认为现在的云游戏产业相当于2008年的手机游戏，那时手机游戏都是从PC端移植过来的，而云游戏就是要利用即点即玩特性，降低传统游戏向云游戏移植门槛。据悉，云游戏支持《原神》《逆水寒》《战舰世界》等一系列大作，实现跨平台兼容服务。
Long Zhiyong, Deputy General Manager of Alibaba Cloud Gaming Division (Yuanjing), introduced their exploration in the realm of metaverse gaming. He likened the current cloud gaming industry to the mobile gaming industry in 2008. At that time, mobile games were ported from PC platforms. Similarly, cloud gaming aims to utilize the feature of instant play to lower the threshold for traditional games to transition into cloud gaming. It's reported that cloud gaming supports a series of major titles like *Genshin Impact*, *Justice*, and *World of Warships*, achieving cross-platform compatibility.

当各大游戏厂商都在积累技术，从各自传统的优势渠道奔赴元宇宙时，米哈游似乎仍在从容不迫地推出内容。可以预见，当《原神》七国推出后这将是多么内容丰富的一个完整世界，更何况很快还有《星穹铁道》《绝区零》等作品。
As major gaming companies accumulate technology and head toward the Metaverse from their respective traditional channels of strength, miHoYo seems to be calmly and confidently releasing content. It's foreseeable that with the launch of the seven nations in *Genshin Impact*, it will introduce a vastly enriched world. Furthermore, titles like *Honkai: Star Rail* and *Zenless Zone Zero* are coming soon.

抓住内容，或许就是通向元宇宙世界的那把正确钥匙。
Grasping content might indeed be the right key to enter the world of the Metaverse.