Virtual Market 2026 Summer Hits Record 1.54M+ Visits, Demonstrating Marketing Impact

HIKKY Co., Ltd. has released the event report and visitor survey results for Virtual Market 2026 Summer (Vket), one of the world’s largest virtual events, held from July 11 to 26, 2026.

The 16th edition of Vket recorded a record-high 1.54 million+ cumulative visits. According to the post-event survey, 84.9% of respondents said their impression of participating companies and brands improved, while 96.2% said they would be more likely to choose a company they had experienced at Vket when deciding between comparable products or services.

First-time exhibitor FUJI KYUKO CO., LTD. also saw strong results. The Fuji-Q Highland virtual community on Discord, launched in conjunction with Vket, and the FUJI KYUKO Group’s official online reservation service attracted 10,000 registrations during the 16-day event period. The results demonstrate how corporate booth experiences at Vket can help brands create ongoing touchpoints and build longer-term relationships with their audiences.

◆ Record 1.54M+ Visits, with 24.1% First-Time Attendees and 93.3% Planning to Return

The 16th edition of Virtual Market 2026 Summer (Vket, pronounced “vee-ket”) recorded a record-high 1.54 million+ cumulative visits.

According to the visitor survey, 24.1% of respondents were first-time attendees, accounting for roughly one in four participants. As VRChat, the platform where Vket is held, continues to expand its user base, Vket is also attracting a growing number of new participants.

At the same time, 93.3% of respondents said they would like to attend the next Vket, highlighting the event’s ability to attract new audiences while maintaining strong intent to return.

◆ From Ads to Experiences: 72.6% Prefer Vket Booth Experiences to Discover Brands, while 84.9% Report Improved Brand Perception

When asked which method made them feel most familiar with or positively toward a company or brand, 72.6% of respondents selected “freely exploring a corporate booth at Vket,” compared with 12.0% for video advertising such as YouTube and 5.5% for television commercials.

The results suggest that interactive brand experiences can create stronger engagement than one-way advertising by allowing users to actively explore and experience a brand.

In addition, 84.9% of visitors who experienced a corporate booth said their impression of the company or brand improved, indicating that immersive experiences can help strengthen brand affinity.

◆ 96.2% More Likely to Choose Brands Experienced at Vket

When asked whether they would choose a company they had experienced at Vket when deciding between comparable products or services, 96.2% of respondents answered “strongly agree” or “somewhat agree.”

In addition, 97.5% said Vket offered brand experiences they could not get at physical events, suggesting that immersive interactions can deepen brand understanding and increase interest in products and services.

Exhibitor Surveys Show Strong Brand Lift, Engagement, and Customer Acquisition

^{*The following results are based on initiatives and surveys conducted among visitors who experienced each company’s booth.}

◆ Beyond the Event: 10,000+ Community Members and Nearly 10,000 New Service Registrations in 16 Days

First-time Vket exhibitor FUJI KYUKO CO., LTD. launched FUJIQ VIRTUAL PLAZA, a virtual community designed to enhance engagement with Fuji-Q Highland. Within approximately two weeks of opening membership, the official Discord community surpassed 10,000 members.

The booth also drove nearly 10,000 new registrations for FUJIYAMA CONNECT, the FUJI KYUKO Group’s official online reservation service, during the 16-day event. This shows how engagement at Vket can translate into concrete actions, from joining a brand community to registering for an owned service.

The community has remained active beyond the event, with members interacting with one another and exchanging feedback with the management team. FUJI KYUKO also plans to involve community members in future XR content development, extending Vket from a one-time activation into an ongoing platform for customer engagement and fan community building.

[Comment from FUJI KYUKO CO., LTD.]
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​"Through our participation in Vket, we were able to connect with many people who previously had limited opportunities to engage with Fuji-Q Highland, overcoming the barriers of time and distance.
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​The active community that formed during the event, together with the strong number of new service registrations, showed us that virtual experiences can serve not only as a channel for sharing information, but also as a platform for building lasting fan communities.
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​Going forward, we will continue combining the unique appeal of our physical destinations with digital experiences to create new customer journeys that connect virtual engagement with real-world visits."

◆ First-Time Exhibitor AOYAMA TRADING Sees 80.5% Improvement in Brand Perception

At its first Vket exhibition, AOYAMA TRADING Co., Ltd. presented an immersive action show featuring suit-wearing heroes. In a post-experience survey, 80.5% of respondents said their impression of the company or brand improved.

The result shows how a distinctive virtual experience can help even first-time exhibitors create new audience touchpoints and strengthen brand affinity beyond what is possible in a traditional retail setting.

[Comment from AOYAMA TRADING Co., Ltd.]
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​"We joined Vket for the first time to explore new possibilities for Yofuku-no-Aoyama and SUIT SQUARE, while creating opportunities for more people to feel closer to our brands.
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​The enthusiasm we experienced through direct interaction with the virtual community during the event was truly inspiring and has given us strong momentum for future initiatives.
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​We will continue exploring new ways for people to discover AOYAMA TRADING and deepen relationships with our customers, with the goal of becoming the trusted choice for business-wear consultation."

◆ 85%+ of Visitors Spend 15+ Minutes at the Booth, Driving Strong Brand Engagement

At its eighth consecutive Vket exhibition, Universal Entertainment Corporation offered interactive experiences including the slot-style game Meta Sma-Slot, a fountain game, and an avatar-based dance experience.

In the booth survey, 85.8% of respondents said they spent 15 minutes or more at the booth, demonstrating strong engagement through interactive content and immersive world design.

Among respondents who had never played pachislot or pachinko, or no longer played, 40% said the Meta Sma-Slot experience made them interested in trying pachislot or pachinko in the real world. The results suggest that the booth not only sustained visitor engagement but also generated interest among audiences with little or no recent experience with the products.

[Comment from Universal Entertainment Corporation]
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​"For this year’s Vket, we created a booth inspired by Okada Manila, the integrated resort operated by our group in Manila, Philippines.
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​We were delighted to receive strong interest in our two-night, three-day Okada Manila invitation campaign. In our survey, more than 40% of respondents, including those who first learned about Okada Manila through this initiative, said they would like to visit in person.
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​Visitors also shared their experiences and feedback on social media while enjoying our three main attractions: Meta Sma-Slot, The Fountain × Ragnador fountain game, and the Cove Manila dance experience. We believe the booth successfully introduced the unique entertainment of our group to a broad audience, particularly Gen Z and Millennials.
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​Going forward, we will continue leveraging the appeal of our IP to create new entertainment experiences for even more people."

Virtual Market 2026 Winter Announced!!

The 17th edition of Virtual Market 2026 Winter will be held for 16 days from December 5 to 20, 2026, and applications are now open for companies and organizations interested in exhibiting.

This year’s corporate exhibition areas will feature two VR venues inspired by Yokohama and Spain. HIKKY’s dedicated team provides end-to-end support, from booth concepts and content planning to promotional strategy, helping exhibitors create immersive experiences designed to build brand awareness, strengthen brand affinity, and grow fan communities.

Companies and organizations interested in exhibiting at Virtual Market 2026 Winter can contact HIKKY through the link below.

[Survey Overview]

Survey participants: Visitors to Virtual Market 2026 Summer
​Method: Web-based surveys conducted within the event venues
​Survey period: July 11–26, 2026
​Number of responses: 696–12,313

*The number of responses varied depending on the survey question. Company-specific surveys were conducted separately among visitors who experienced each respective corporate booth.
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[About HIKKY Co., Ltd.]

HIKKY is an XR company that creates engaging experiences and content by combining culture and creativity from virtual spaces with cutting-edge technology.

Since 2018, HIKKY has organized Virtual Market (Vket), one of the world’s largest VR events, as well as VketReal, an XR experience event held in physical spaces. Through these initiatives, HIKKY creates new value by connecting virtual and real-world experiences.

CEO: Yasushi Funakoshi
​Head Office: 4F Mitomi Building, 1-20-22 Ebisu, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo 150-0013, Japan
​Established: May 1, 2018

Corporate Website https://hikky.co.jp/en
​Business Solutions: https://hikky.co.jp/en/biz