In the present work, I attempt to define virtual reality from a psychoanalytic point of view and identify the reasons for its appeal, and why some people become addicted to it. I will therefore seek to differentiate virtual reality from other worlds of imagination, such asplay or the literary tale. I believe virtual reality must be conceived as a special category of psychic reality, distinct from and opposite to the field of creative fantasy. Indeed, creative imagination is in contact with psychic reality, while virtual reality, sensorially constructed and preset by others, contrasts with the relational experience, thereby taking the place of the emotional and affective world.

KEY WORDS: Alternative reality, imagination, make-believe, metaverse, psychic reality, virtual reality.