Shanghai, China Sep 13, 2026 - Recently, along Xuhui Riverside by the Huangpu River in Shanghai, an armored warrior on horseback charged off an 8-by-10-meter glasses-free 3D screen -- so vivid it looked as if he had galloped straight into the real world. The spectacle drew crowds of onlookers and sent Western tourists reaching for their phones. "I never imagined a Three Kingdoms figure could be presented like this," one spectator said. "Traditional Chinese culture can actually be this cool."
The warrior is Zhang Fei, one of the most celebrated generals of Shu Han during the late Eastern Han Dynasty. The Three Kingdoms era -- a turbulent chapter of warlords, alliances, and legendary heroes -- has, over nearly two thousand years, become deeply woven into the fabric of Chinese culture.
This city-scale visual event was created for the 7th anniversary of its strategy title Three Kingdoms Tactics -- a tribute that turned a game milestone into a public moment.
Three Kingdoms Culture Goes Global
The reach of Three Kingdoms culture has long extended far beyond China. Over the past seven years, Three Kingdoms Tactics has grown to more than 100 million registered users, building not only a massive player base at home but also a substantial community of active players worldwide. The strategic depth and heroic storytelling of the Three Kingdoms are now being discovered and embraced by young people across the globe -- carried forward through the medium of gaming.
A Player Gathering at a Historic Waterfront
The riverside screen brought a Three Kingdoms hero into the everyday streetscape of Shanghai. Meanwhile, on the other side of the city at North Bund, a 7th-anniversary celebration for players from around the world has been set to take place at the World Drawing Room, a national-level diplomatic venue.
Located in the heart of North Bund, the World Drawing Room stands on the site of the century-old Yangtze Wharf. Overlooking the Bund and Lujiazui, it has served as a key venue for international summits and high-level diplomatic events. There, player representatives from home and abroad have met face-to-face with the development team to witness the game's long-term roadmap for the second half of the year and the unveiling of its latest version.
Through the combination of a glasses-free 3D display in a public urban space and a landmark launch event, Three Kingdoms Tactics has transformed its anniversary into a cultural moment open to the public.
As Zhang Fei rides into the Shanghai night sky, and as players step into the World Drawing Room, a Chinese cultural story is being seen -- and felt -- by more and more people around the world.
