The Reality and Outlook of the Metaverse Industry in 2026: A Turning Point from Hype to Practicality
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Entering the Maturity Phase of the Metaverse Market and a Realistic Approach
As the metaverse industry welcomes the year 2026, it is transitioning from the explosive interest and investment frenzy seen from 2021 to 2023 towards a more realistic and practical direction. According to the latest report from market research firm IDC, the global metaverse market size is expected to grow from $74 billion in 2025 to approximately $92 billion in 2026, marking a 24.3% increase. Although this is lower than the initial forecasted growth rate of 40-50%, it indicates a more sustainable growth trajectory. Notably, the investment focus is shifting from B2C-centric social metaverses to B2B enterprise solutions.
California-based Meta Platforms recorded $4.6 billion in revenue from its Reality Labs division in the fourth quarter of 2025, a 31% increase compared to the same period the previous year. However, it still reported an operating loss of $13.4 billion, indicating that achieving profitability in the metaverse business remains a medium to long-term challenge. CEO Mark Zuckerberg stated at a December 2025 investor conference, “The metaverse should be approached with a long-term investment perspective of 10-15 years, and from 2026, we will demonstrate concrete ROI in enterprise solutions and education sectors.”
In the Korean market, the approach to the metaverse is also becoming more realistic. NAVER Corporation has significantly revised the strategy for its ZEPETO platform, operated through its subsidiary SNOW. As of the third quarter of 2025, ZEPETO’s monthly active users (MAU) stood at 18 million, a 21.7% decrease from 23 million in the same period the previous year. However, the average revenue per user (ARPU) increased by 61.9% from $4.2 to $6.8. This reflects a strategic shift towards securing profitable users rather than expanding the user base. Kakao Corporation also ended the service of its metaverse game ‘ArcheWorld’ in June 2025, focusing instead on developing avatar services within KakaoTalk and virtual meeting solutions for enterprises.
On the technical side, hardware limitations continue to be a major obstacle to the widespread adoption of the metaverse. According to market research firm Counterpoint Research, global VR headset shipments in 2025 reached 8.7 million units, only an 8.3% increase from the previous year. This is significantly below the initially anticipated annual growth rate of 30-40%. Key consumer complaints include the heavy weight of headsets (average 500-600g), short battery life (average 2-3 hours), and high prices (average $400-800).
Rapid Growth and Practical Use Cases of Enterprise Metaverse
In contrast to the slowdown in the consumer market, the enterprise metaverse market is experiencing rapid growth. According to the latest analysis by Gartner, the enterprise metaverse solutions market is expected to grow from $18 billion in 2025 to $28 billion in 2026, a 55.6% increase. This growth rate is more than double that of the overall metaverse market, indicating concentrated investment in areas capable of generating tangible business value.
Washington-based Microsoft Corporation is leading the enterprise metaverse market with its ‘Mesh for Teams’ service integrated into the Teams platform. As of the fourth quarter of 2025, approximately 15,000 companies are utilizing this service, with high usage particularly in the manufacturing and education sectors. Germany’s Siemens AG is using Microsoft’s HoloLens and Mesh technology to operate virtual factory design and employee training programs, reducing training periods for new employees by an average of 40% and cutting training costs by 60%.
California’s NVIDIA Corporation is targeting the enterprise metaverse infrastructure market through its Omniverse platform. By the end of 2025, over 5,000 companies were utilizing Omniverse, particularly in the automotive, architecture, and manufacturing sectors as a tool for building digital twins and collaboration. BMW used Omniverse to build a digital twin of its entire production line, improving production efficiency by 12% and reducing quality defects by 25%. NVIDIA’s Omniverse-related revenue in the fourth quarter of 2025 was $420 million, a 78% increase from the same period the previous year.
The practical use of the metaverse is also expanding in the education sector. Stanford University introduced VR technology in its medical school anatomy classes from 2025, allowing students to learn human anatomy in a 3D virtual environment. Students participating in this program saw their exam scores improve by an average of 23% compared to traditional teaching methods, and learning satisfaction increased from 85% to 94%. In Korea, Seoul National University introduced VR technology in some engineering college lab classes from the second semester of 2025, enabling safe execution of hazardous chemical experiments in a virtual environment.
The use of the metaverse in the healthcare sector is also showing noteworthy results. U.S. medical device company Stryker Corporation developed a VR-based surgical simulation program, supplying it to over 300 hospitals worldwide. Surgeons using this system improved their surgical accuracy by an average of 18% and reduced surgery time by 12%. In Korea, Samsung Medical Center introduced a VR-based rehabilitation program for stroke patients from 2025, speeding up recovery by 30% compared to traditional methods.
Technological Advancements and Future Outlook: A Realistic Growth Path
The core infrastructure of metaverse technology, cloud computing, and 5G network technology is expected to mature further by 2026. Amazon Web Services launched a dedicated cloud service for metaverse applications, ‘AWS Metaverse Studio,’ in November 2025, with over 1,200 companies currently utilizing the service. Amazon claims that this service, which offers features like real-time rendering, multi-user synchronization, and AI-based content creation, can reduce the cost of building metaverse platforms by an average of 40%.
Advancements in AI technology are also providing new momentum for the metaverse industry. California’s Unity Technologies introduced an AI-based automatic 3D content creation tool, ‘Unity Muse,’ allowing developers to create 3D objects and environments using only text commands. This technology can complete 3D environment creation in a few hours, significantly reducing metaverse content production costs. Unity’s revenue in the fourth quarter of 2025 was $540 million, a 27% increase from the same period the previous year, with AI-related services accounting for $120 million.
Gradual improvements continue on the hardware front as well. Apple’s Vision Pro 2, launched in June 2025, offers a 30% lighter weight of 350g and extended battery life of 4 hours compared to the initial model. The price was also reduced by $500 to $2,999 from the initial model’s $3,499. However, it remains far from a mass-market price range, focusing on enterprise and professional markets. According to IDC, Apple’s Vision Pro shipments in 2025 were approximately 450,000 units, falling short of the initial target of 1 million units.
China’s ByteDance Ltd. is participating in the metaverse hardware competition in the Asian market through its subsidiary Pico. The Pico 4 Enterprise targets the enterprise market with a relatively affordable price of $1,299, selling 230,000 units in the Asia-Pacific region in 2025, capturing 31% of the enterprise VR headset market in the region. It shows high adoption rates, particularly in the manufacturing and education sectors within China.
The gaming industry is also taking a more realistic approach to the metaverse. California’s Roblox Corporation recorded a daily active user (DAU) count of 79.5 million in 2025, a 19% increase from the previous year. However, the average revenue per user (ARPU) only increased by 8% to $15.2. Roblox announced plans to expand educational content and corporate training programs from 2026 to develop new revenue sources, particularly strengthening B2B business targeting schools and educational institutions in coding and STEM education fields.
In the investment market, the approach to the metaverse is becoming more selective and realistic. According to venture capital research firm CB Insights, total investment in metaverse-related startups in 2025 was $4.7 billion, a 66% decrease from the peak of $13.8 billion in 2022. However, the quality of investments has improved, with the proportion of investments in companies generating actual revenue rising from 23% in 2022 to 67% in 2025. This indicates that investors are prioritizing practical business models and profitability over technological possibilities.
The outlook for the metaverse industry in 2026 suggests a shift from past hype to practical and sustainable growth models. Market analysts predict that concrete achievements in enterprise solutions, education, and healthcare over the next 3-5 years will determine the overall direction of the metaverse industry. As successful cases with clear ROI accumulate, the metaverse is expected to establish itself as a practical business tool rather than just a technological curiosity. However, challenges such as hardware limitations, high development costs, and user experience improvements remain, suggesting gradual and sustained development rather than explosive short-term growth.
*This analysis is intended for general informational purposes and should not be interpreted as investment advice. Please consult with a professional before making investment decisions.*
