Safety Paradox: How Uncertainty Shapes Immersive Engagement and Social Bonding in Location-Based Virtual Reality

Location-based virtual reality (VR) enables large-area movement and co-located interaction in immersive shared environments. However, little is known about how users experience and regulate safety in hybrid physical–virtual spaces, particularly under uncertainty and social coordination. To address this gap, we conducted a qualitative study involving semi-structured interviews, focus groups, and participant observation with 49 participants who had experienced location-based VR. Thematic analysis identified recurring experiential states, organized into a three-zone framework—Comfort Zone, Optimal Experience, and Panic Zone—describing how perceived controllability shapes fear and engagement. We further propose a qualitative conceptual model synthesizing how participants described drawing on both system-based cues and interpersonal support to maintain embodied safety. Together, these findings reveal a safety paradox: immersive engagement often depends not on eliminating uncertainty but on sustaining a regulated form of insecurity that remains perceptible yet manageable.