Rethinking Quality of Experience for Metaverse Services: A Consumer-Based Economics Perspective

The Metaverse is considered to be one prototype of the next-generation Internet, which contains people’s expectations for the future world. However, the academic discussion of the Metaverse still mainly focused on the technical system design, and few research studied Metaverse challenges from the perspective of consumers, i.e., Metaverse users. One difficulty is that the analysis from the consumer’s perspective requires interdisciplinary theoretical framework and quantifiable Quality of Experience (QoE) measurements. In this article, pioneering from consumers’ point of view, we explore an interaction between Metaverse system design and consumer behaviors. Specifically, we rethink QoE and propose an framework that encompasses both the Metaverse service providers (MSPs) and consumer considerations. From the macro perspective, we introduce a joint optimization scheme that simultaneously considers the Metaverse system design, consumers’ utility, and profitability of the MSPs. From the micro perspective, we advocate the Willingness-to-Pay (WTP) as an easy-to-implement measurement for future Metaverse system studies. To illustrate the usability of the proposed integrated framework, a use case, i.e., virtual traveling, is presented. We show that our framework can benefit the MSPs in offering competitive and economical service design to consumers while maximizing the profit.

Introduction

Supported by the development of communication technologies, the Metaverse is an emerging concept considered to be the next generation of the Internet. Instead of accessing the Internet through mobile phones and computers, users can completely immerse themselves in the virtual world of the Metaverse through interactive technologies such as Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR). In addition, Metaverse can provide support for the construction of the real world. For example, complex experiments that are difficult to be performed in the real world can be simulated in the Metaverse, and then the results are fed back to the real world for decision-making. These desirable features have drawn the attention of giant multinational companies globally. For instance, Facebook, which recently changed its name to Meta, 1 announced ambitious the plan to invest 10 billion in Metaverse development. Microsoft acquired company Activision Blizzard, Inc. 2 for 70 billion to support its Metaverse strategy.¹

The website of Meta: www.facebook.com/Meta

²

The website of Activision Blizzard: www.activisionblizzard.com