An Ethnography of Social VR Communities in Horizon Worlds
Note from Wilson:
Hi! You might notice this one's a little incomplete. I'm on Spring Break soon so I've been making it a goal to update my case studies; the copy, layout, graphics, density, and everything else that goes into this.
Expect more updates soon! If you'd like to know more immediately, feel free to read the full report at the end (Research Artifacts section), or reach out via my email.
This page was last updated: March 23rd, 2025.
Overview
We conducted an ethnographic study of social VR
communities within Meta's Horizon Worlds platform, focusing on understanding how users
build and maintain relationships in virtual spaces.
Through participant observation and
semi-structured interviews, we explored how users
navigate social norms, build trust, and form meaningful connections in virtual reality.
Our findings highlight the unique characteristics of VR-mediated social interaction and
the emergence of new social practices in these spaces.
Timeline
February - May 2022
Methods
Digital Ethnography, Semi-Structured Interviews, Secondary Research
Role
Researcher
Our Approach
Our team employed ethnographic practices to document social phenomena within Horizon Worlds. Between February and March, we collectively invested 50+ hours in participant observation across diverse virtual spaces.
Community Focus Areas
- LGBTQ+ meetups & World Tours events
- Social spaces (comedy clubs, music studios)
- Horizon Creative Community worlds
Data Collection
- Field notes taken after each session
- Semi-structured interviews
- Multi-platform observation
Participant Selection
- Purposeful sampling approach
- Focus on insightful community members
- Recruitment via Horizon Worlds, Facebook & YouTube
We utilized thematic analysis to identify patterns in social behavior and community formation:
- Coded field notes and interview transcripts
- Identified salient themes and behaviors
- Compared community frameworks with respect to VR social interaction
Community Design Analysis
We evaluated Horizon Worlds using Amy Jo Kim's principles of community design as our grounding framework. reveals how the platform implements key social scaffolding elements that facilitate community growth and sustainability.
Purpose & Audience
Horizon Worlds primarily serves working-age adults, with content tailored for mature audiences. The platform fosters a symbiotic relationship between two key user archetypes:
- Creators - Build and expand the virtual environments
- Visitors - Explore and interact with created spaces
Gathering Places
The platform employs a hub-and-spoke model for content discovery, with several key components:
- Personal Space - A customizable dashboard serving as the entry point
- Themed Worlds - User-generated spaces with specific focuses
- Building Tools - Comprehensive toolkit for creating complex environments
Profiles & Access
Unlike other social VR platforms, Horizon Worlds maintains a distinct approach to platform access:
- Exclusive VR headset requirement
- No desktop version available (at time of conducting research; this was later added)
- Hardware limitations affecting world complexity
Codes of Conduct
Horizon Worlds maintains community standards through:
- Automated monitoring of user behavior and content
- Community reporting tools for violations
- Human moderation team for complex cases
Cyclic Events
Regular events help maintain community engagement:
- Weekly meetups in popular worlds
- Creator workshops and tutorials
- Community challenges and competitions
Range of Roles
The platform supports various user roles:
- World Creators - Design and maintain virtual spaces
- Event Hosts - Organize and facilitate gatherings
- Community Guides - Help newcomers navigate
Subgroups
Distinct communities form around shared interests:
- Creative communities - World builders and artists
- Social groups - Regular meetup participants
- Special interest - Music, gaming, education
Third Place Analysis
Supplementing the Amy Jo Kim analysis, an analysis through Ray Oldenburg's Third Place framework reveals how virtual spaces can serve as modern gathering places, complementing traditional physical third places. We wanted to know how well Horizon Worlds fit the archetype of a third place.
Horizon World's Strengths as a Third Place
- Neutral Ground - Users can freely enter and leave worlds without obligation
- Leveler - Avatar-based interaction reduces socioeconomic cues
- Conversation as the Main Activity - Talking is a primary activity. Interestingly, builders can use VR space affordances to effect how sound travels in a world.
- Accessibility - Available to anyone with VR hardware
- Regular Gatherers - Community events foster consistent participation
"We look at the voice, that’s the only thing unique about anything in here […] and how people are treating each other."