Cultural Discount or Technological Convergence: Cross-Cultural User Experiences in XR Cultural Heritage

Can high-fidelity immersive technology truly overcome cross-cultural barriers, or do cultural discounts persist despite visual realism? This study challenges the assumption that extended reality (XR) experiences naturally resonate with a global audience. Comparing two digital heritage projects—China’s Tang Palace Banquet, which foregrounds aesthetic emotionality, and France’s Horizon of Khufu, which privileges cognitive realism—this study examined how narrative and artistic strategies shape user reception across cultural backgrounds. Using a mixed-methods design, we analyzed responses from 910 participants. The findings offer an important counterpoint: the immersive qualities of XR can produce a form of perceptual convergence that partially transcends cultural specificity, suggesting that high-fidelity technology may reduce cultural discounts at the sensory-motor level. However, users’ prior cultural knowledge remains a decisive factor in shaping the depth of engagement and interpretation. These results suggest that the global circulation of digital heritage does not depend solely on visual realism or technological immersion. To effectively mitigate cultural discounts, designers must integrate cultural knowledge construction into their immersive experiences. Theoretically, this study shifts the discussion in digital humanities from display modalities to intercultural communication, arguing that meaningful engagement requires both realistic representation and an intelligible cultural context.