# Metaverse Architectures: A Comprehensive Systematic Review of Definitions and Frameworks
## 3 Results
### Themed Identified from Thematic Analysis  
Utilising a hybrid analytical approach that integrates word frequency analysis with a six-phase thematic process, eight overarching themes were discerned from the examination of 33 definitions of the metaverse. These themes encapsulate the recurrent conceptual elements prevalent in the literature.  
The thematic analysis identified eight essential themes:  
* Interconnectivity: The term fundamentally involves the seamless integration of virtual and physical realities, allowing users to engage across interrelated dimensions.
* Technological Enablers: The metaverse is an advancement of the conventional internet, with a more immersive and dynamic structure that utilises advanced technologies such as virtual reality, augmented reality, blockchain, and artificial intelligence.
* Immersion: The metaverse establishes immersive 3D settings that offer a profound sensation of presence and engagement. Facilitates interactive and instantaneous encounters via avatars and virtual environments.
* Persistence: The metaverse provides persistent and lasting virtual environments that coexist alongside the physical realm. Facilitates real-time collaboration and interaction, enhancing the metaverse's enduring operability.
* Social Engagement: It serves as a social and interactive platform, facilitating user connection and collaboration. Facilitates instant communication using digital avatars, promoting community-oriented interactions.
* Multidimensional Activities: The metaverse enables a diverse range of activities, encompassing gaming, education, business, and content production. Offers a multitude of options for innovation and engagement across different industries.
* Representation of Reality: The metaverse effectively integrates avatars, realistic simulations, and digital twins to bridge virtual and physical realms. The simulation of real-world dynamics enhances user engagement and interaction. Avatars [67], serving as digital representations of individuals, constitute the primary means of presence and interaction within these environments.
* Economic Systems: The metaverse creates virtual economies facilitating the production, ownership, and exchange of digital assets. Several metaverse systems provide decentralised financial structures and markets for virtual products and services.  
Fundamentally, these eight themes not only capture the descriptive repetition found across various studies but also highlight the conceptual evolution of the metaverse. This evolution is progressing toward a hybrid paradigm that seamlessly integrates spatial design, human experience, economic models, and technical enablers. The thematic structure provides a foundational lens for interpreting emerging frameworks in both academic and industrial discourse. Furthermore, these recurring themes have informed the classification of metaverse definitions into five conceptual categories, which enables a more structured and comparative understanding of how the metaverse is framed across different disciplinary and technological perspectives.