Breaking barriers, building wellbeing: an inclusive metaverse framework

The Metaverse is framed as a transformative concept, extending possibilities for connection, creative expression, and enhanced wellbeing. As its development accelerates, questions of who is able to participate and under what conditions become increasingly important. Responding to limited research on this topic, we investigate barriers to inclusion in immersive environments and explore how these barriers intersect with users' wellbeing. Combining academic and online archival data, we identify sixteen interconnected categories of barriers, organised across three stages of the user journey: initial access, inclusive experience, and sustained engagement. Metaverse inclusion emerges as a dynamic, negotiated process with barriers shifting across stages and carrying implications for users' physical, emotional, social, and financial wellbeing. These dynamics are further shaped by broader structural conditions and intended uses. The Inclusive Metaverse Framework developed in this study provides a foundation for anticipating exclusion risks and enabling more inclusive immersive futures across VR, AR, and MR.