What is the Metaverse? Challenges, Opportunities, Definition, and Future Research Directions

Interest in the Metaverse has recently surged due to the transformational opportunities and experiences that it offers to customers and businesses across the globe. However, the extant literature on the Metaverse is inconsistent, with no existing literature synthesis or consensus among studies on the definition of the Metaverse. This study provides a scoping review of Metaverse research, identifying the trends, definitions, and characteristics of the Metaverse concept. After providing a review of Metaverse research in all subject areas, the study narrows its focus to the business and management field, providing a more detailed review of the trends, characteristics, opportunities, and challenges of the Metaverse in this specific context. The findings from the literature are used to propose the Metaverse Research Model which conceptualizes and problematizes the literature, providing insight into the key concepts related to the Metaverse and offering guidance in terms of future research directions.