Microtransactions in VR. A qualitative comparison between voice user interface and graphical user interface

Abstract

Monetization of some elements of the mechanics has been present for a while in the videogames industry, often as a part of the freemium model, where basic functionalities are free, and premium functionalities are paid. With the development of XR applications and Meta-verse, VR has become the next medium where microtransactions can be applicable. At the same time, voice user interfaces are gaining an increasing number of users and some part of them frequently use them for shopping (e.g. using smart speakers like Alexa), while the others do not feel comfortable taking the purchasing decisions using voice. In the NUX project, we merge VR environment with a conversational voice user interface based on the natural language. In this study, we present the results of the comparison of the graphical and vocal forms of microtransactions, using a qualitative methodology (N=12).