“There’s a lot of weird shit going on, and it can be hard to adjust, but if you do it's magical,” he tells WIRED. Before Covid-19 lockdowns, there had barely ever been more than 20,000 concurrent users on VRChat—but its popularity has since exploded. It’s even spawning underground VR sex and drug subcultures, with erotic club nights and venues meant to mimic the effect of psychedelics. O’Rourke and other enthusiasts say they’ve clocked up drug-fueled, marathon dance sessions all without many of the stressors of traditional club nights. Others, like Heelix, a 61-year-old VR DJ from Berlin who has spent nearly 5,000 hours in VR—the equivalent of about 200 days—struggle to control their drinking.