Abstract
This paper explores how emerging consumer roles interact with metaverse features to co-create value within Final Fantasy XIV's virtual world. Using an interpretivist approach combining netnography and semi-structured interviews, the research identifies three motivational drivers (emotional, social, and consumptive) that influence participation in metaverse environments. Six distinct metaverse feature categories are analysed: communication tools, personalization tools, accessibility tools, economic tools, environmental tools, and safety tools. From these interactions, nine consumer roles emerge: Market Specialists, Housing Designers, Glamour Enthusiasts, Content Experience Collectors, Social Event Organisers, Performers, Virtual Photographers, Insiders, and Outsiders. Each role contributes uniquely to value co-creation processes. The findings challenge traditional views of digital communication by demonstrating that metaverse environments can foster meaningful connections comparable to physical relationships. The research contributes to service-dominant logic by providing empirical evidence of how consumers function as central co-creators of value and offers practical insights for developers, businesses, and community managers seeking to foster positive value co-creation in virtual environments.