The mere use of the term “metaverse” has recently attracted great attention both in the economy and in research. At the beginning of this year, it still seemed unthinkable that the virtual space could do without a metaverse. Numerous companies invested heavily in their presence in the metaverse, while countless start-ups emerged and shares of companies like Roblox and Matterport, which were already engaged in the metaverse, gained significant value. Recently (as of early May 2023), however, a certain disillusionment seems to be setting in.