Abstract
This study explores how romantic relationships and expressions of intimacy unfold within social virtual reality (SVR) environments such as VRChat. Drawing on virtual ethnography and 26 semi-structured interviews, it examines how embodiment, anonymity, and technological affordances shape trust, emotional intimacy, and sexual expression. While often framed as taboo, these dynamics are central to understanding relational practices in immersive environments. Findings show that intimacy is experienced as both emotionally authentic and technologically mediated, emerging through practices such as roleplay, virtual touch, and shared activities. The study highlights how anonymity simultaneously enables openness and introduces challenges around trust, consent, and safety. By adopting a reflexive qualitative approach, this paper positions SVR as a critical site for investigating and designing for taboo topics, emphasizing that considerations of trust, safety, and consent are essential when designing for intimate experiences in immersive spaces.
Keywords
social VR, intimacy, romantic relationship
DOI
https://doi.org/10.21606/drs.2026.2026
Citation
Bakk, Á., Redmond, D., Tölgyesi, B., and Szita, K. (2026) Is There Limitless Romance Behind a “Bunch of Ones and Zeros”? How Social VR Shapes Romantic Interaction and Its Design Implications, in Simeone, L., Gray, C. M., Verhoeven, A., de Götzen, A., Bakırlıoğlu, Y., Zohar, H., Stead, M., and Buwert, P. (eds.), DRS2026: Edinburgh, 8–12 June, Edinburgh, United Kingdom. https://doi.org/10.21606/drs.2026.2026
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License
Included in
Is There Limitless Romance Behind a “Bunch of Ones and Zeros”? How Social VR Shapes Romantic Interaction and Its Design Implications
This study explores how romantic relationships and expressions of intimacy unfold within social virtual reality (SVR) environments such as VRChat. Drawing on virtual ethnography and 26 semi-structured interviews, it examines how embodiment, anonymity, and technological affordances shape trust, emotional intimacy, and sexual expression. While often framed as taboo, these dynamics are central to understanding relational practices in immersive environments. Findings show that intimacy is experienced as both emotionally authentic and technologically mediated, emerging through practices such as roleplay, virtual touch, and shared activities. The study highlights how anonymity simultaneously enables openness and introduces challenges around trust, consent, and safety. By adopting a reflexive qualitative approach, this paper positions SVR as a critical site for investigating and designing for taboo topics, emphasizing that considerations of trust, safety, and consent are essential when designing for intimate experiences in immersive spaces.