Virtual Reality Applications for Your Business: Key Factors, Requirements, Costs, and Tips for Selecting the Right VR Studio Developer

Creating a VR application for your company can be valuable in many scenarios. Whether it’s enhancing training processes, boosting customer engagement, or adopting an innovative marketing strategy, a virtual reality application could be the solution you’re looking for. Investing in VR and MR is especially worth considering in 2025 and beyond. Recent trends show that Virtual Reality and Mixed Reality are gaining significant momentum, with continuous advancements that are only set to accelerate.

With the growing importance of the XR market and the rapid advancements in headset technology, developing a virtual reality application tailored to your company’s needs can be highly beneficial. However, such an investment must be supported by a solid idea and thorough market research. Creating a VR application for business requires careful planning and attention to various factors. In this article, we’ll cover key focus areas, essential requirements, common pitfalls to avoid, estimated costs, and tips for choosing the right developer.

Common Misconceptions and Mistakes in VR Projects

Users Will Experience Nausea – A widespread assumption is that all users will feel nauseous while using VR. While motion sickness can occur, it is typically caused by factors such as poor design, low frame rates, or mismatched motion cues. Skilled developers can address these issues by optimizing design, maintaining high frame rates, and creating shorter, more focused experiences to enhance user comfort.

VR Is Just a Trend – Another misconception is that VR is a passing fad with no lasting impact. In reality, immersive technologies have been advancing for decades and are increasingly recognized for their transformative potential. VR has proven its effectiveness across various sectors, from training and education to marketing and enterprise applications, demonstrating that it is far from a temporary trend.

What to Focus On When Building a Virtual Reality Application

Start by defining the purpose of the application. Clearly identify what you want to achieve with your VR app. For example, if your company faces challenges in training and existing VR solutions don’t meet your requirements, developing a custom VR app may be the ideal solution. Alternatively, you might have a different use case in mind – just ensure that the decision to create a VR application aligns with a specific need or improvement it will bring to your company. Defining a clear goal is the crucial first step in the process.

Next, identify your target audience. Determine who will use the application, as understanding their needs and expectations is essential for the project’s success.

Additionally, ensure the app is intuitive and engaging. User interactions should feel natural and align with their expectations. Keep in mind that prolonged VR usage can sometimes cause discomfort or nausea. However, as mentioned earlier, these issues can be minimized by partnering with an experienced VR studio that focuses on thoughtful design and proper optimization.

Depending on the specific virtual reality application you need, it may be worth considering Mixed Reality. Let’s pause for a moment to clarify what MR means, as XR-related terminology can often be confusing.

In this context, “Mixed Reality” refers to passthrough technology in headsets equipped with color passthrough cameras. Examples include devices like the Meta Quest 3, Apple Vision Pro, and Pico 4 Ultra Enterprise. MR allows users to see their physical surroundings while seamlessly placing virtual objects in the real world. A notable feature of this technology is co-location, enabling multiple headsets to view and interact with the same virtual objects in the same physical space.

Virtual Reality, by contrast, immerses users entirely in a virtual world. Now, returning to the point – some applications can benefit significantly from leveraging Mixed Reality (MR) or combining both Virtual Reality and Mixed Reality for smooth transitions between the virtual and real worlds when needed.

For example, in product presentations, a co-located Mixed Reality app could be highly effective. Imagine multiple people wearing Quest 3 headsets in the same room, all interacting with a single virtual object – like a product you’re showcasing. In this case, there’s no need to transport users to a fully virtual environment since the focus is on the product being presented within the real-world context.

On the other hand, if you’re developing an app for training purposes, such as preparing employees to work in hazardous environments without compromising safety, a fully immersive Virtual Reality application would likely be the better choice due to its ability to deliver deep, focused immersion.

What Are the Requirements for Building VR Projects?

From a technical standpoint, you should define the hardware and software requirements. This includes selecting the appropriate VR/MR headsets and application development platforms. Make sure the chosen technologies align with your project objectives.

Another important aspect is defining the key features of the application. While you’ll likely discuss these with the VR studio developing the app, your expertise can help identify essential features to include.

Additionally, although testing and optimization are primarily the responsibility of the developers, you should still be involved. Allocate time to test the application across various conditions and devices to ensure stability and performance

What Are the Costs of Building a Virtual Reality Application?

The cost of developing a Virtual Reality application largely depends on the complexity of the project and is often dominated by the fees charged by the VR studio creating the app. Here’s a general breakdown:

Simple VR Applications: For straightforward apps, you can expect costs to range from €4,000 to €8,000.

Advanced VR Applications: More complex apps, with detailed environments, advanced features, or multiplayer capabilities, can range from tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands of euros. However, these figures are just rough estimates.

It’s crucial to approach a VR studio with your project idea to get an accurate quote. The final price will depend on factors such as the scope of features, design requirements, and the level of interactivity you need.

The time required to develop a VR application also varies:

• Simple Apps: These can typically be completed within a few months.
• Complex Apps: More intricate projects may take over a year to fully develop.

Having a clear understanding of your goals and budget is essential before reaching out to a studio. While you can estimate costs and timelines, only a detailed consultation with a VR developer will give you a definitive answer.

How to choose the right virtual reality studio developer?

There are many VR studios that can develop an app for you, and I’ll list a few of them shortly. However, it’s important to keep in mind several factors when choosing the right developer for your virtual reality application.

First, check the developer’s experience in creating VR applications and review their portfolio to ensure they have expertise in your industry. When you contact them, make sure they fully understand your app’s requirements. A good developer will ask detailed questions to clarify your objectives and project needs.

Choose a developer who is open to feedback and can adapt to evolving project requirements, as these will likely change over time. It’s also important to receive a clear cost estimate and well-defined terms regarding deadlines and the scope of work.

Here are some examples of VR application developers:

Kognita – Specializes in creating immersive training solutions for sectors like banking, retail, manufacturing, insurance, education, and the public sector. Their team includes skilled developers, UX designers, testers, and project managers, enabling them to deliver comprehensive immersive training applications.

Epic VR – Focuses on creating VR applications, interactive 360° films, and AR/MR apps. Operating since 2013, they provide comprehensive solutions in virtual reality.

Giant Lazer – Specializes in developing innovative VR and AR applications for industrial sectors, offering employee training programs, simulators, and process visualizations. They also provide tools supporting technical workers through assisted reality applications, such as smart glasses.

CinematicVR – Develops applications for all VR platforms using 3D graphics and interactive elements, with a focus on marketing, education, and training projects.

4Experience – Delivers cutting-edge VR, AR, 3D, and AI applications for businesses and institutions, aiming to provide measurable value. Their portfolio includes solutions like the Firefighting VR Simulator and VR Soft Skills Training, catering to sectors such as emergency services, healthcare, education, engineering, and construction.