【Article by GCIT】 

American YouTuber Hafu, who has amassed more than 19 million followers across global social media platforms under the “Hafu Go” brand, visited HTC’s Taiwan headquarters on September 9. Together with Professor Tammy Jih-Hsuan Lin, Director of National Chengchi University’s Global Communication and Innovation Technology Master’s Program (GCIT), he experienced The Little Prince: A Magical Journey, a multiplayer free-roaming virtual reality experience, and explored innovative applications of immersive technology, digital content, and cross-cultural communication.

Powered by location-based entertainment (LBE) technology, The Little Prince: A Magical Journey allows multiple participants to move freely through a physical space while exploring a shared virtual world. The experience demonstrates how immersive technology can reimagine a literary classic while highlighting the potential of VR applications in entertainment, education, and cross-cultural communication.

During the visit, Hafu shared his impressions and exchanged perspectives with Professor Lin and the HTC team on Taiwan’s technological innovation and the development of immersive content. Their discussion also explored how digital content can transcend linguistic and cultural boundaries, and how international creators can use emerging technologies to develop new forms of storytelling and expand their global reach.

HTC Director Richard Jui-Chun Chien introduced the company’s collaborations with internationally renowned creative teams in developing immersive VR exhibitions. She also discussed how cultural content, technological innovation, and commercial operations can be integrated to build sustainable business models for cultural technology. By combining technology with creative content, immersive experiences can offer new ways for audiences to engage with exhibitions and serve as a powerful medium for bringing cultural content to international markets.

Professor Tammy Jih-Hsuan Lin, Director of GCIT, said, “GCIT continues to integrate emerging trends in the digital content industry into its curriculum, encompassing interdisciplinary areas such as digital content creation, platform management, branding and corporate communication strategies, and global communication. We aim to equip students to use emerging technologies and digital platforms to tell stories to global audiences. By bringing together Hafu’s perspective as an international creator, global cultural content, and Taiwan’s technological research and development capabilities, this exchange also highlights new possibilities for immersive technology in cross-cultural communication and international markets.”

At the conclusion of the visit, Professor Lin presented Hafu with a commemorative gift on behalf of GCIT. Facilitated by Neil Lin, Co-Founder of Elvance Capital Management, the visit brought together an international content creator, Taiwan’s technology industry, and higher education, opening new opportunities for exchange in immersive technology and cross-cultural communication.

[全球傳播與創新科技碩士學位學程獲文化部與教育部高等教育深耕計畫補助。]