Eliciting Public Beliefs about Metaverse Esports

Purpose. As the concept of the Metaverse continues to gain traction, the potential for esports within this virtual space is becoming increasingly clear. The public's understanding of this recently emerged field has yet to be thoroughly investigated through empirical research and using naturally occurring data. This study aims to address this gap, providing valuable insights for both esports and technology industries. Design/methodology/approach. The research employed machine learning to scrape comments made by social media users on the 50 most popular YouTube videos about Metaverse esports. The raw data (N= 40,140) went through extensive cleaning processes, and eventually, 19,871 comments were analysed through thematic analysis. The findings were subsequently anchored in the integration of the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), the Uses and Gratifications Theory (UGT), and the Diffusion of Innovations Theory (DOI). Findings. The thematic analysis identified 8,865 comments as uncategorised and 11,006 comments to conceptualise five key themes of public beliefs about Metaverse esports: 1) immersive experience and social connectivity (62%), 2) technical limitations of the current ecosystem (20%), 3) future possibilities (8%), 4) accessibility, inclusiveness and cost barriers (5%), and 5) health risks (5%). Practical implications. Businesses must invest in moderation technologies and improve VR hardware, graphics, and esports content; develop affordable access models; and prioritise user well-being via safety guidelines, health initiatives, and engagement strategies. Originality/value. This is the first study to structure public beliefs about Metaverse esports using a qualitative analysis of naturally occurring data, making it of substantial value to society, as well as practice and scholarship in this rarely researched domain.