*This article was created using voice input with AI (Aqua Voice) for text conversion. Please note there may be some inconsistencies.
Hello. I’m Hiro from Full Body Tracking Lab.
Today I’m introducing my new note series: “VRChat Culture Lab.”
Reflections on Four Years of VRChat
I’ve been in VRChat for about four years.
In the beginning, VRChat was completely a “village.” Only people you knew. Unfamiliar cultures. Words outsiders couldn’t understand.
“Osatou” as a Symbol
A good example is the word “osatou” (literally “sugar” — VRChat slang for romantic partners). Outsiders would just think “sugar?” But inside VRChat, it carried a completely different meaning.
These insider-only terms were characteristic of VRChat as a “village society.”
VRChat Is Becoming a “City”
Recently, that atmosphere has been changing. More people are joining with diverse backgrounds. The village is becoming a city.
This isn’t bad — it’s natural. But when villages become cities, friction always occurs. Unwritten rules stop working. Newcomers unknowingly break cultural norms. Veterans feel unsettled.
Approaching Social Infrastructure
VRChat is moving beyond just a game or SNS, approaching something like web-based social infrastructure. The internet started as something for enthusiasts too, and now it’s part of daily life.
So I Record
This series will document what’s happening amid these changes. VRChat-specific culture, relationship troubles, friction between newcomers and veterans, technology-driven communication changes.
Culture disappears if nobody records it. Especially in fast-changing places like VRChat.
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