Self-expression is a crucial a part of many individuals’s experiences in immersive 3D areas—particularly Gen Z, who’re rising up constructing connections in digital worlds. That’s why we’ve put collectively the 2023 Digital Expression, Style & Magnificence Tendencies Report, which explores the complete spectrum of self-expression by avatars, together with model concerns, the psychology behind creating an avatar look and the impression of genuine self-expression on individuals’s bodily model, buying choices, and even psychological well-being. 

This work builds on the analysis we did final 12 months that supplied useful early insights on how individuals specific themselves in immersive areas. Our 2023 report gives new insights that can assist creators, manufacturers and trade specialists higher anticipate and reply to shortly evolving client wants.

Listed here are the highest 5 takeaways from the 2023 report*:

1. The significance of digital self-expression continues to develop

On this 12 months’s survey* of over 1,500 members of Gen Z within the U.S. and UK who’re lively on platforms like Roblox, 56% say styling their avatar is extra necessary to them than styling themselves within the bodily world. And for older Gen Z aged 22-26, 64% say that, given a alternative, dressing up their avatar could be extra necessary than dressing up within the bodily world.

Moreover, 84% of Gen Z respondents say digital style is a minimum of considerably necessary for them, and  85% assume the significance of digital style has grown a minimum of some over the previous 12 months. Greater than half (53%) assume it’s grown lots.

These findings echo what we see on our platform: self-expression by digital identification and style is a vital a part of individuals’s expertise. For instance, through the first three quarters of 2023 on Roblox, there have been a whole of 165 billion avatar updates, up 38% 12 months over 12 months, and folks purchased practically 1.6 billion digital style objects and equipment, up 15% 12 months over 12 months. Plus, hundreds of thousands of Roblox customers proceed to replace their avatars each day.

However the affect of digital model and style doesn’t keep within the digital world. Within the survey, 84% report that their bodily model is a minimum of considerably impressed by their avatar’s model, together with 54% who say they’re very or extraordinarily impressed by what their avatar and different avatars put on.

2. Model recognition issues for Gen Z within the metaverse

With regards to metaverse style, survey respondents stress that they care about distinct kinds and model recognition: 52% say “trendy digital garments” is the attribute they pay most consideration to when deciding if an avatar is “cool-looking.” And three in 4 say carrying digital fashions from a acknowledged model is a minimum of considerably necessary, together with 47% of survey respondents who say it’s very or extraordinarily necessary.

This dynamic can drive buying conduct: 84% say that after carrying or attempting on a model’s merchandise in digital areas, they’d be a minimum of considerably seemingly to think about this model within the bodily world. In reality, 50% say they’d be very or extraordinarily seemingly to take action.

3. Customers are open to spending on digital style—the extra unique the higher

In the meantime, designers and types might be glad to study that the majority Gen Z customers are additionally prepared to spend on digital style: in our survey, 52% say they’re comfy budgeting as much as $10 every month, whereas one other 19% are prepared to spend as much as $20 month-to-month and a further 18% are open to purchasing $50-$100 of things each month. 

The launch of Limiteds this 12 months highlighted Roblox customers’ demand for unique and uncommon objects, as evidenced by most Limiteds reselling for greater than their authentic price.

For instance, neighborhood members lined as much as earn Limiteds by way of challenges within the Gucci Ancora expertise and to purchase up objects from Roblox-native manufacturers like CHRUSH.

Equally, a number one digital music model, Monstercat, not too long ago teamed up with neighborhood creator @WhoseTrade on six single-edition necklaces. Every offered inside minutes, together with the Ruby Pendant, acquired for 1,000,001 Robux (roughly $10,000), the very best preliminary Restricted sale up to now.

4. From head to toe, avatars allow experimentation with expression

Whereas digital style is necessary to Gen Z customers, persons are additionally experimenting with different revolutionary methods of expression by their avatars.

One instance of that is avatar make-up, which is already out there in some community-created experiences. As well as, quite a few manufacturers—like Fenty Magnificence, Maybelline, NARS, Givenchy Magnificence, NYX, and L’Oreal—are actually investing in assembly clients’ curiosity in it. 

And there’s actual alternative for them. In line with our survey, greater than a 3rd of all respondents (35%) say it’s necessary to customise their avatar’s make-up day by day or weekly, and the quantity rises to 51% for self-identifying feminine respondents. 

Persons are additionally more and more customizing their avatar hair on Roblox. This 12 months alone, customers bought greater than 139 million hairstyles, up 20% over the 12 months earlier than, together with greater than 7.3 million individuals who purchased 5 or extra hairstyles on Roblox.

However self-expression doesn’t finish there: Roblox customers have more and more been adopting emotes, and to this point this 12 months, 9.8 million Roblox customers purchased them, up 64% 12 months over 12 months. That’s one thing that Tommy Hilfiger took observe of in introducing emotes into its Roblox digital style assortment.

Customers are additionally selecting fantastical auras that match their vibe, like a colourful selection out there inside Paris Hilton’s Slivingland.

And shortly, Roblox customers will be capable of have expressive avatars that includes lifelike feelings. That’s prone to be well-received by Gen Z customers since 86% of survey respondents say it’s a minimum of considerably necessary that their avatar is ready to specific feelings with the intention to really feel absolutely represented within the metaverse. 

5. Authenticity drives self-expression in immersive areas and positively impacts well-being

One putting discovering from the survey is that the majority members of Gen Z attempt to look good within the metaverse for themselves somewhat than for others. When selecting their avatar look, 62% say they care lots that their avatar appears good to them as in comparison with 37% who say they care lots that it appears good to others. 

And 40% of Gen Z really feel it’s simpler to current their genuine selves within the metaverse than within the bodily world. Among the many causes cited: extra “freedom of expression” and “inventive choices.” Additional, individuals really feel they “may be whoever we would like” and that it’s “much less judgemental” after they work together with others as avatars in immersive areas.

In reality, our analysis confirmed:

• Twice as many respondents consider they’re judged much less on their appears within the metaverse than within the bodily world, and;
• Respondents had been 2.2 instances extra seemingly to say that expressing themselves in immersive areas by way of their avatar feels higher (“extra me”) than posting 2D photographs from the bodily world on social media. 

Lastly, respondents cited a optimistic impression on their psychological well-being: 88% say expressing themselves in immersive areas has seemingly helped them comfortably specific themselves within the bodily world. They observe it helps construct connections with others (29%), boosts confidence (24%), permits for true self-expression (21%), and helps enhance psychological well being in different methods (25%).

A Common Connector

Genuine self-expression is usually described as a common connector for individuals: by sharing who we really are, we will make real connections. As Roblox continues constructing its platform and merchandise for immersive communication and connection, we’re guaranteeing that individuals have the broadest set of alternatives to authentically specific themselves. We’re excited to proceed learning this area as a result of as our analysis demonstrated, we all know that when individuals have extra management over the various parts they will select to characterize themselves in immersive 3D digital areas, it might result in optimistic impacts on their physical-world connections and well-being.

DOWNLOAD THE FULL REPORT HERE

* Methodology: The ‘2023 Digital Expression, Style & Magnificence Tendencies’ report consists of two complementary units of knowledge: 

• Behavioral information collected from the Roblox platform from January by September 2023.

• Self-reported survey information collected from 1,545 Gen Z customers between the ages of 14 and 26, residing in the US (1027 respondents) and the UK (518). To acquire these responses, Roblox commissioned a nationally consultant survey from Qualtrics fielded September 27-29, 2023. Included stats characterize the complete respondent pattern given sentiment between the 2 markets (U.S. and UK) was largely comparable. The pattern has been balanced for gender in each markets utilizing the Census Bureau’s American Group Survey for the U.S. and Workplace for Nationwide Statistics within the UK to replicate the demographic composition of those markets’ inhabitants in that age vary. Within the full report information is referenced as ‘2023 Roblox Self-Expression Survey.’

• For any extra clarifications or questions on the information please contact press@roblox.com.