REVIEW article
Front. Virtual Real.
Sec. Virtual Reality and Human Behaviour
Volume 6 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/frvir.2025.1496128
The Evolution of Virtual Identity: A Systematic Review of Avatar Customization Technologies and Their Behavioral Effects in VR Environments
Provisionally accepted
Hamid Ouhnni*
Soumia ZitiKarim El BouchtiBelhiah MeryamZaoui Seghroucheni YassineNajoua LagmiriBenachir RigalmaAcim Btissam- Mohammed V University, Agdal, Morocco
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Over the past ten years, advancements in virtual reality (VR) technologies have been profound, yielding significant transformations within the digital milieu. This paper presents an extensive analysis of the cutting-edge research surrounding avatar customization in VR, concentrating on the technologies, methodologies, and challenges pertinent to the creation and management of digital representations. Through a meticulous examination of 45 curated studies, the research investigates three pivotal dimensions: the determinants affecting the aesthetic characteristics of avatars, the progression of avatar creation methodologies, and the practical applications of avatar customization. The investigation emphasizes the critical role of avatar customization in augmenting user identification, social presence, and interaction within virtual environments. Furthermore, it delves into nascent trends in avatar development, including artificial intelligence-driven customization tools and real-time rendering methodologies, which facilitate the production of increasingly realistic and individualized avatars. The concluding section articulates prospective trajectories for innovation within this domain, underscoring opportunities for further inquiry and the formulation of more diverse and adaptable strategies for avatar customization, thereby accommodating users across a spectrum of virtual environments.
Keywords: Avatar, Digital body, virtual reality, augmented reality, AI-generated avatars, customization, Personalization, embodiment
Received: 13 Sep 2024; Accepted: 12 May 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Ouhnni, Ziti, El Bouchti, Meryam, Seghroucheni Yassine, Lagmiri, Rigalma and Btissam. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: Hamid Ouhnni, Mohammed V University, Agdal, Morocco
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