He is of the opinion that the metaverse has opened up new possibilities for the production of reality TV shows.

"For instance, by using VR technology, it may soon become feasible for entertainers to remotely participate in the recording of our metaverse-driven programs," says Lu.

Furthermore, the integration of the metaverse into variety shows has revolutionized the way users interact with the content. In traditional variety shows, users watch the finished production and engage via real-time, on-screen comments. However, in the metaverse, variety shows are expected to offer users the unique opportunity to participate in the program's creation in the virtual realm. They can interact with virtual avatars of the celebrity participants to accomplish tasks, or even assume the role of non-playable characters, or NPCs, within virtual games, he adds.

"Furthermore, the integration of the metaverse into variety shows makes the process of commercial operations easier. This includes the seamless insertion of advertisements within the virtual space and facilitating transactions involving virtual props and assets," says Lu.

Additionally, they have plans to develop a fully-fledged game based on the core gameplay of Run for Time. Prior to this, the technology team had transformed certain gameplay elements from the puzzle-solving variety show Who's the Murderer into a game application called Forest Evolutionism.

"During the internal testing phase, within a few days, more than 50 percent of users played for over 10 hours, and some users even played for 30 to 40 hours. This confirms that we can amplify the value of the content of variety shows through this approach," Lu says.

In each episode of Run for Time, there is a segment where some participants are required to wear VR devices and step onto omnidirectional treadmills. They navigate through the virtual space, exploring and completing tasks by manipulating game controllers.