Lao Feng Xiang x Honkai: Star Rail Collab Livestream Implodes — Host Mocks and Kicks Players Asking About Co-branded Gold Products

You spend real money on a brand collab product, only to get mocked and kicked from the brand's own livestream? Welcome to 2024's most surreal collab fail so far.

The drama centers on Lao Feng Xiang (老凤祥), a century-old Chinese gold jewelry institution, and miHoYo's gacha RPG Honkai: Star Rail (also known as Star Rail or HSR). The two launched co-branded gold collectibles, naturally drawing a wave of excited Star Rail players to Lao Feng Xiang's livestream. What they got wasn't a warm product showcase — it was contempt.

Based on screenshots shared by the original poster, players repeatedly asked about the collab products during the livestream. The female host visibly grew annoyed, then openly mocked the viewers and kicked them out of the stream. The poster's caption was blunt: 'How is this even possible? They're dissing their own paying customers?' — a fair question when the people you're insulting literally came to spend money on YOUR co-branded products.

The comment section erupted instantly. The top-voted reply nailed it: 'Again, a retail worker acting like they own the vault — just because you sell gold doesn't mean the gold is yours.' A frontline employee throwing attitude at the brand's own collaboration customers? Peak audacity.

But the most insightful breakdown came from a longer reply that argued the real problem isn't just one rude host — it's that Lao Feng Xiang as a corporation never issued any proper response or apology afterward. The commenter laid out two possible explanations for why.

Theory one: the 'seller's market' angle. The collab gold items sold out instantly and are flipping for premium prices on resale platforms like Xianyu (China's secondhand marketplace). Lao Feng Xiang has zero incentive to care — it's a classic 'take it or leave it' power dynamic. Theory two: the 'low margin' angle. miHoYo allegedly squeezed the profit margins so thin on this collab that Lao Feng Xiang barely makes money on it. No commission for staff, no motivation to provide service. In their eyes, these gamers are just 'high-maintenance fanboys who don't spend enough to matter.'

This isn't an isolated incident either. Another commenter pointed out that gold stores across the board treat collabs this way: 'Lao Feng Xiang — honestly, most gold shops — look down on collab products. Staff get no commission and it's extra hassle. Chow Tai Fook's previous collab had the same issue: employees knew nothing about it. Training was basically one WeChat group message, and veteran staff didn't even bother reading it.' The entire gold retail industry seems to have a collective allergy to anime collabs.

One commenter cut even deeper: 'Gamers aren't their target demographic at all. Restaurant collabs make sense — they bring young people through the door for repeat dining. But gold? How many gamers are buying gold jewelry after the collab? Once you've bought the limited piece, you're done.' In other words, from Lao Feng Xiang's perspective, anime fans are one-time buyers with zero lifetime value.

Another reply delivered the most devastating comparison: 'Other industries might take your ¥648 seriously. A gold store? ¥648? That's it?' — ¥648 is considered whale-tier spending in gacha games, but in the gold jewelry world, it's pocket change. Naturally, store employees aren't going to roll out the red carpet.

Some users tried to play devil's advocate — one referenced an internet meme about the host being stuck doing livestreams from Inner Mongolia (implying poor working conditions), and another cautioned that the kicked players might not have been innocent bystanders. But these voices were quickly drowned out by the overwhelming tide of outrage.

At the end of the day, this fiasco exposes a massive cultural gap between traditional industries and the world of IP collabs. The brand sees hype and short-term traffic; the frontline staff see extra work with zero incentive. Players show up with genuine excitement and money to spend, only to be treated like a nuisance. This Lao Feng Xiang x Star Rail collab? More like a collab in name only.