With its previous title having sold over a million copies, this small team—a pioneer in the genre—has announced a release date for its new game

Today, the interactive film *The Golden Age: Mei Niang* released its latest promotional video, announcing that it will launch simultaneously in China and overseas on September 9, with a launch price of 39 yuan.

"The Golden Age" is produced by the New One Studio team, whose previous title, "The Invisible Guardian," sold over a million copies and established the studio as a pioneer and leader in China’s interactive film and television sector.

Looking back to 2019 when *The Invisible Guardian* was released, the film and television industry was on the rise, and “interactive cinema” was still a little-known niche concept.

By 2025, the “interactive cinema” sector had already experienced several waves of popularity, attracting professionals from all walks of life. While some works stood out, the majority eventually faded into obscurity.

As the new title *Prosperous Realm* prepares to launch, producer Demi reflected on the team’s five-year journey during a media briefing—during what appeared to be a period of relative obscurity, they had been relentlessly exploring the full potential of interactive cinema. *Prosperous Realm* is both the answer they’ve delivered and a new beginning.

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From *The Invisible Guardian* to *The Golden Age*

In fact, *The Golden Age* has been generating buzz since its initial reveal. On June 26, the release of the first promotional video sparked widespread discussion among social media users.

This anticipation wasn’t merely fueled by nostalgia for *The Invisible Guardian*.

As the PV reveals, *The Golden Age* takes a completely different narrative direction from its predecessor, *The Invisible Guardian*.In *The Golden Age*, the protagonist navigates the treacherous waters of the imperial court with every step, embarking on a transformative journey from a concubine in the inner palace to an empress—a path fraught with countless life-or-death decisions. As an interactive film, viewers will step into the protagonist’s shoes, forging a unique life through each heart-pounding choice.

Historical palace survival narratives are a rare genre in interactive cinema. Upon its release, the PV struck a chord with fans of court intrigue, traditional aesthetics, and period dramas, emerging as a standout new addition to the genre.

And this is just one facet of the team’s diverse explorations. Producer Demi revealed that the team is simultaneously developing multiple projects across different genres, aiming to chart new possibilities within the interactive film and television landscape.

From *The Invisible Guardian* to *The Golden Age*, the progress of the New One Studio team is clearly evident. The most obvious change is the upgrade from static images to dynamic video. This is no simple change; producer Demi explained that it entails a longer production cycle, a larger script volume, and a greater time investment.

Under limited conditions, the team had to tackle the filming of a 300,000-word script in a short period of time (the script for *The Invisible Guardian* was approximately 110,000 words). Producer Demi essentially made the film set her “home,” saving commuting time to focus entirely on the set; the production manager led the team in post-production, even staying on set in the cold winds of Hengdian during the Spring Festival.

As an interactive film and television production featuring multiple branching storylines, every actor involved needed to be exceptionally familiar with the plot to portray different reactions under various choices. For the female lead, who had the most screen time, this pressure reached its peak, requiring her to possess exceptional physical stamina and a clear mind.

This became a major challenge at the outset of *The Golden Age*. Producer Demi recalls that the current cast was selected from over 2,000 actors.Casting the female lead proved the most challenging task, not only because she carries the bulk of the story but also because, to the audience, she represents “me”—even if her story culminates in her becoming an “Empress,” the team could not choose an actress with an overly distinctive personal presence. Ultimately, the team selected a figure who would feel more “approachable” to viewers.

The challenges of filming extended far beyond this. During the cold winter, the actors had to shoot in thin period costumes. Despite the harsh conditions, the cast and crew remained exceptionally united; it was this unity that transformed all the hardships into nourishment for the production.

Despite a comprehensive upgrade in quality, *The Golden Age* maintains the affordable pricing strategy of *The Invisible Guardian*. The launch price of 39 yuan announced in the promotional video—the cost of a single movie ticket—offers an immersive interactive storytelling experience. In the interactive film and television market, this is truly the “king of value for money.”

02

Interactive Film and Television: Cross-Industry Collaboration

From its official launch to the start of production, *The Golden Age* has come a long way. The team always says, “We want to move faster,” yet they refuse to compromise on any detail.

To capture the finer details of Tang-dynasty court life, the team drew upon ancient texts, documentaries, and murals to create key props—such as traditional board games, cuisine, and sports. For instance, the game of backgammon was modeled after authentic historical artifacts, with experts consulted to restore its original rules.

Of course, as an interactive film and television production, *The Golden Age*’s production process extends far beyond the filming phase. Unlike traditional TV dramas, after the footage is collected, the team dedicates most of its time to creating immersive interactive features, including branching storylines, MBTI personality type integration, and the development of an achievement collection system.

This fusion of “film and television + gaming” has transformed the team into a “cross-disciplinary force”—comprising both cinematography masters from the film industry and interaction experts from the gaming sector.

*Prosperous Realm* is indeed such a unique hybrid. Director Zhizhu, who previously helmed the hit short series *The Eldest Princess* and the highly rated period drama *Ancient Love Song*, quickly found common ground with the team despite this being her first foray into interactive film and television.

Recalling her collaboration with screenwriter Rourou, Zhi Zhu felt a strong rapport; they both agreed that the core of any story lies in portraying people, human nature, and human emotions. They applied this philosophy to the production of *Prosperous World*, endowing each character with their own convictions and aspirations, and vividly depicting love and hatred in all their intensity.

As the release date approaches, the *Prosperous Realm* team is swamped with work every day. Many ask if they feel anxious. Producer Demi recalls a colleague who gave her a “No Anxiety” banana plushie—though it sits on her desk, she’s so busy she doesn’t even have time to feel anxious.

This work, the culmination of immense effort, is set to premiere on September 9. Its debut may also signal a shift: interactive cinema is moving from a “niche experiment” toward “quality-driven development,” and the market appears poised to welcome more entrants.