Metaverse and Consumer Motivations, Behaviors, and Sentiments in the Metaverse: The Case of Meta Horizon Worlds

The growing prominence of the metaverse has attracted significant attention from individuals, businesses, and organizations due to its immersive and interactive capabilities. This study explores the motivations, experiences, and sentiment of users within the metaverse, focusing on the Horizon Worlds platform. Through a mixed-methods approach based on qualitative interviews of 32 users of the Horizon Worlds metaverse, we identified four primary motivations driving user engagement: self-expression, social interaction, hedonic enjoyment, and utilitarian benefits. Sentiment analysis indicates a generally positive user experience, though technical issues and inappropriate behaviors pose challenges. Our findings provide insights into the behavioral patterns and satisfaction levels of metaverse users, offering implications for both researchers and practitioners in understanding and enhancing user engagement in virtual worlds.