Is the future of the metaverse bleak or bright? Role of realism, facilitators, and inhibitors in metaverse adoption

The emergence of the metaverse has been considered a vital milestone in the digital world owing to its potential for relevant stakeholders. Nevertheless, it is struggling to proliferate at the introductory stage, yet it can be a contemporary avenue to influence consumer decisions. The existing body of knowledge offers limited insight regarding the metaverse, particularly from the lens of encouraging and discouraging reasons to adopt the metaverse. This research proposes a framework drawing on behavioral reasoning theory to resolve this anomaly. Respondents were approached through a survey, and data were analyzed using structural equation modeling to assess the developed research model and the proposed relationships. Results disclose that perceived realism positively influences “reasons for” (RFA, i.e., new social experience, new immersion experience, and new shopping experience) and consumers' attitudes, whereas it negatively affects consumer “reasons against” (RAA, i.e., perceived privacy, perceived strain, and perceived lack of control) for metaverse adoption. Interestingly, RAA strongly dissuade consumers' attitude and intention to adopt metaverse compared to the RFA; besides, these encouraging reasons do not exert a significant impact on consumers' intention. Perceived personal situation meaningfully moderates the impact of RAA and attitude on intention. This study offers a profound understanding of individuals' cognitive mechanisms for adopting metaverse and guides them to excavate further for more circumstantial acumens. Businesses and policymakers should consider said findings and implement a proactive approach to improve consumers' metaverse experience and resolve their concerns for a sustainable future. • Metaverse is an important development in the digital world, however, it is struggling to proliferate. • A model is suggested based on behavioral reasoning theory which is analyzed by structural equation modeling. • Perceived realism positively influences users' “reasons for” and attitudes, whereas negatively affects “reasons against”. • “Reasons against” strongly discourage users' attitude and intention to adopt metaverse compared to the “reasons for”. • Personal situation meaningfully moderates the impact of “reasons against” and attitude on intention.