Virtual Reality Arcades: A Study on Usage Habits with Emphasis on Digital Gaming

Virtual reality (VR) and VR gaming have seen substantial advancement during the recent years both in terms of technological development and the number of users. A notable rise has also occurred in the number of VR arcades. Despite the growing academic interest towards VR and VR gaming, there is still a dearth of understanding on the usage aspects of VR gaming and VR arcades. To address this gap, this study explored the habits of using VR arcades with emphasis on digital gaming. Specific focus was set on investigating differences between gender, age, and physical activity background. The study was exploratory in nature and based on a quantitative analysis of data collected from 126 respondents in Finland. The findings of this study bring new knowledge to this emerging subject, and thus, extend our understanding on the habits of using VR arcades and VR games. The study shows that digital gaming is clearly the most popular form of entertainment in VR arcades. Also, for the vast majority, the main purpose to visit VR arcades is gaming for fun, and it is more popular to visit VR arcades together with others than alone. The findings also demonstrate how VR gaming can be a new frontier for exergaming. Gender, age, and physical activity background differences are discussed. As a practical contribution, the findings are used to present implications for VR gaming and VR arcade stakeholders.