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LOS ANGELES, May 27, 2026: Thrive Analytics and ARtillery Intelligence have released a new report entitled VR Usage & Consumer Attitudes, Wave 10. ARtillery Intelligence authored survey questions and a narrative report while Thrive Analytics administered the survey through its established survey engine.
Highlights include the fact that 33 percent of U.S. adults have used VR – up from 27 percent in Wave 9 of the research. 31 percent of users engage monthly, 13 percent do so weekly, and 23 percent do so daily. However, the engaged behavior of VR users is contrasted by non-users, who are definitive in their disinterest in the technology and unwillingness to pay for it.
Meanwhile, usage growth over the past year is due to location-based VR, including VR arcades and installations that offer time-based and social/group experiences. We’ve seen the category grow as consumers opt for VR experiences over ownership. After a near-death experience in the Covid era, the category has rebounded. This is demonstrated by players like Sandbox VR, which recently exceeded 5 million lifetime users and $300 million in lifetime revenue.
Long Game
As for VR players and positioning, Meta’s impact is evident in its growing popularity. 66 percent of VR users report having engaged with Meta headsets, including all Quest variants. This figure is up from 62 percent in last year’s report and 57 percent in the previous wave. This is driven by a competitive feature set, a growing library of games & experiences, and aggressive pricing.
“Meta is investing heavily in VR and is playing a long game,” said Mike Boland, Chief Analyst of ARtillery Intelligence. “That includes loss-leader pricing and subsidized headsets that accelerate its market share. And though VR ownership has decelerated in a broader sense, Meta remains a dominant player that offers the most compelling mix of quality, price, and content libraries.”
Familiar vs. Fantastical
VR’s current state is also characterized by the activities users are most interested in. Movies & entertainment lead with 74 percent of respondent interest. This was followed by gaming (71 percent) and social interaction (70 percent). The latter is surprising, given the recent demise of social VR experiences such as Rec Room and Horizon Worlds, but could signal the category’s longer-term strength. Meanwhile, leading interest in movies & entertainment, such as 2D streaming apps, is telling of VR’s current state of evolution.
“Watching 2D entertainment in VR continues to be a use case that’s in high demand,” said Boland. “This says a lot about VR’s learning curve and consumers’ habitual nature. We’re talking about a use case that doesn’t tap into VR’s fully-immersive capabilities, demonstrating that consumers often want what they know – gravitating towards the familiar versus the fantastical.”
Time Tested
As for other dynamics and methodology, this report exercises Thrive Analytics’ acumen and time-tested practices in survey research. Wave 10 included a sample of 8,000 U.S. adults. Ten waves of research meanwhile enable robust longitudinal analysis and trending data. Thrive Analytics and ARtillery Intelligence also produce a corresponding AR report, which will be published in Q3.
“AR and VR remain in early-adoption phases,” said Thrive Analytics Managing Partner Jason Peaslee. “But though there are typical challenges and adoption barriers, these technologies will gradually transform the way people work, connect, and learn.”
Report Availability
VR Usage & Consumer Attitudes, Wave 10 is available from ARtillery Intelligence and Thrive Analytics. Deeper access to the base data and additional strategic analysis can be obtained from Thrive Analytics.
About ARtillery Intelligence
ARtillery Intelligence chronicles the evolution of spatial computing, otherwise known as AR and VR. Through writings and multimedia, it provides deep and analytical views into the industry’s biggest players, opportunities, and strategies. Products include the AR Insider publication and the ARtillery PRO research subscription. Research includes monthly narrative reports, market-sizing forecasts, consumer survey data, and multimedia, all housed in a robust intelligence vault. Learn more here.
About Thrive Analytics
Thrive Analytics is a leading digital marketing research and customer engagement consulting firm. With clients spanning leading national brands as well as publishers and agencies serving the small business community, it pairs proprietary market research services and data analytical tools with time-tested business insights and methodologies to help organizations measurably improve customer experience, loyalty, and sales results. Its mission is to provide superior research and support services that inspire clients to make smarter decisions. Learn more here.