How Much Does Virtual Reality Game Development Cost?

What are the top video games of history? Some might say Grand Theft Auto and others can mention Call of Duty (COD), while your favorite video game can be PUBG. Honestly, all these games are G.O.A.T.!

We loved all these games but preferred the first-person shooter (FPS) ones. Didn’t we? Around one-third of the three billion gaming population consists of FPS gamers. Ever wondered why everyone loves these games?

It’s because FPS games make us feel a part of the virtual gaming world. Let’s admit, we always wanted to dive into the game universe and feel the happenings ourselves. As FPS games create an immersive experience like our dreams, everyone is a die-hard fan of these.

The game developers picked the hint. They realized that the key to success in the gaming industry is launching products that deliver an engaging experience to gamers. That’s when VR got assimilated into gaming!

Today, VR is a massive technology affecting the entire gaming industry. Users love Virtual Reality games and spend an average time of nearly 19.7 minutes playing them. So, it’s safe to conclude that VR is a mainstream trend in the gaming market.

Like gamers, Virtual games have become a sensational product among investors. Undoubtedly, the inclination among gamers regarding Virtual Reality games has created a revenue-generating market for investors.

Here are some numbers to reveal that virtual reality games are a lucrative domain!

• The VR gaming sector generated a substantial revenue of $1.1 billion in 2020.
• It is expected to become a $2.4 billion industry by 2024.
• Nearly 64% of users feel gaming is the best application of Virtual Reality.
• As high as 70% of customers wish to increase their VR utility in the upcoming years.
• With $69.7 million in lifetime total earnings, Beat Saber is the highest-grossing virtual game.
• During its first six months, Half-Life: Alyx made $64.6 million in revenue.
• In 2020, Twitch viewers consumed 17.3 million hours of virtual reality gaming content.

Did these numbers excite you? Are you planning to develop VR games? Congratulations on your million-dollar investment plan if your answer is a ‘yes’!

Surely, Virtual Reality games will yield significant returns only if you are ready to invest in them. So, the first step to developing a successful virtual reality game is planning the finances. It will be best to calculate the exact budget before even approaching a reliable technology partner.

Uh-oh! You do not have any idea of VR game development cost. Right? Don’t worry; we’ve got you covered!

Auxano Global Services is the leading VR game development company with a diverse portfolio of numerous relevant products. Having years of experience in the industry, we know what goes into the budget of developing virtual reality games and can help you deduce the exact investment.

This 5000-word beast is your ultimate resource for VR game development costs. So, are you ready for the ride?

Let’s dive in!

Understanding VR from a gaming Perspective

An artificial and digital environment created using the latest software and platforms is called VR. The orchestrated environment appears so life-like that users believe it to be a realistic situation as long as they experience it.

VR utilizes two human senses, sound, and sight, to deliver the happenings of the artificial world to the users. What does it mean?

It implies that you cannot touch an entity in a VR environment. However, viewing them and listening to various sounds in the VR world is possible. That’s how you can “feel” the artificial environment using various hardware components.

You can categorize VR into two divisions by its applications:

• It develops a simulated environment to represent real-life surroundings virtually.
• Also, it can be used to design an imaginative environment with realistic entities.

We implement the latter use case to build buzzworthy VR games. The ultimate objective is to narrate a story and provide a better-than-reality environment for gamers to experience and enjoy the product.

Such an immersive experience can bind the users with VR games, compelling them to spend more time playing virtually.

VR Game Development: The Unimaginable Benefits!

VR is here to transform the traditional gaming experience. So, the blend of VR in gaming has become the talk of the town. That’s for gamers.

What does VR in gaming have in store for developers and investors? Or, more precisely, what are the benefits of developing VR games? Let’s understand!

1. VR games are more popular than you think

You might think that Virtual Reality games are not so popular and that many gamers don’t know about the technology. So, developing Virtual games and making huge investments can be hazardous for your business.

You are, unfortunately, incorrect if you think so!

Do you know? VR in the gaming world is increasing at a whopping rate of 30.2% from 2020-27.

What does it mean? It implies that Virtual Reality games are becoming increasingly popular among the masses. For example, one of the best VR games, Half-Life: Alyx added nearly 1 million VR gamers to the Steam platform. So, you can easily deduce that Virtual Reality games are mainstream trends with thousands of upcoming opportunities.

As VR use cases evolve, unique and immersive games will roll out in the market. These products will attract more gamers and non-gamers to experience the 3D digital world. A time might come in upcoming years when most gamers will resort to VR gaming, forgetting traditional experiences.

So, game developers are migrating to produce VR products and flooding the market with unique experiences, attracting more gamers to step into the dimension. Consequently, the industry has overwhelming audiences and hundreds of new Virtual Reality games waiting in the queue to get launched.

Who imagined Virtual games will take center stage?

2. VR games witness an ever-expanding user-base

Before doing anything, have a look at the following analysis.

• The VR industry has over 171 million users.
• As high as 78% of US citizens are familiar with VR.
• Virtual Reality games have over 5 million active users, reveals Resolution Games.

What’s the takeaway here? These statistics suggest the expanding dimension of VR gamers. Believe it or not, no other games have such a growing user base as VR-driven ones.

As VR technology and relevant hardware penetrate households, more gamers will emerge inclining to spend considerable time experiencing the digital world.

Understandably, developing Virtual Reality games gives you access to a growing user base. You can develop new products and launch them in the market with higher success ratios as a massive audience eagerly waits for your games.

Since Virtual games are hype among gamers, your products will acquire numerous active users and can become popular in the industry. So, if you analyze closely, you will understand that the VR gaming industry offers a safe market for new and established game developers.

VR gamers are equally interested in simple and complex simulation games. So, you can fearlessly launch these products in the market and guarantee success for your business regardless of the product type.

3. Less competition, more benefits

Yes, Virtual games are indeed a buzzword in the industry. These games have acquired a massive user base with more gamers connecting to the dimension every day.

Despite such popularity, Virtual Reality games are relatively new in the industry with limited game developers. Unlike FPS-like traditional games, the VR gaming industry has only a few high-end games. Leading Virtual Reality games are by-products of these companies, making them hotshots in the industry.

Overall, you can see that the VR gaming industry is less competitive than other sectors. It has only a few contenders and no cut-throat competition.

On the other hand, gamers are expecting more from the VR gaming industry. However, developing new products rapidly and catering to user demands can be challenging for key market players.

Isn’t it the most favorable situation for a virtual reality game development investor? It’s challenging to win over a competitive industry. Also, customers remain largely satisfied when numerous companies remain available to please them with new Virtual Reality games launching frequently.

But, everything is the opposite in the VR gaming industry. It is the least competitive with millions of users waiting for new experiences. It’s the best time to step into VR development and generate massive revenues.

4. More avenues to explore

VR is the latest buzz in the industry. It has a massive and dynamically expanding user base. Despite these factors, VR is the least explored horizon. It is still under research and new applications will emerge shortly.

Also, virtual reality game developers haven’t implemented all features of VR in their products. Many functionalities are yet to be leveraged in VR games. Believe it or not, these features can take gaming experiences to all-new levels and attract more gamers than ever.

It’s the best time for investors to explore new VR avenues and develop cutting-edge games for existing and new users. They can collaborate with a Top-notch VR game development company like Auxano Global Services to do so.

The first step to exploring VR from a gaming perspective is research to identify features that can offer a whole new experience to gamers. Furthermore, it’s the responsibility of the virtual reality development team or the technology partner to create a strategy and incorporate the new functionalities in VR games.

Finally, the outcome will be remarkable Virtual games that no one has imagined ever before. Such games can spell magic on VR gamers and become increasingly popular in the industry.

5. Freedom to use your creativity

Why do people love VR games? As discussed earlier, it’s because Virtual Reality games offer a distinct experience of belonging to a whole new world to the users.

If you have been investing in video games, you know the power of creativity in the industry. The gamer community embraces creative products and wants more uniqueness. Since gamers find Virtual games creative, they massively play them and spend considerable time experiencing the tech products.

So, Virtual games are the most appropriate platforms to display your creativity.

The digital environment in a virtual reality game is imaginative and depends on the developers. You can create an entity in the digital space for your users. For example, you can create a new planet with unique geography, strange animals, and a never-heard-before atmosphere. Everything depends on your picturization and creativity.

Remember that your creative games should be unique and highly imaginative. Also, embedding all VR features in the games strategically will give you an edge in the gaming industry.

6. Numerous tools and technologies are available

Have you heard about Facebook becoming Meta? If you analyze the phenomena closely, you will understand that tech giants are investing in VR. They see immense potential in the industry and wish to play their cards producing various products.

The involvement of tech behemoths in the domain compels software and hardware companies to produce technologies that assist in developing VR products.

Nowadays, the market has thousands of VR tools and technologies allowing developers to create robust games for the entire gaming community. So, virtual game development isn’t a challenging domain as several technology stacks are here to help the stakeholders.

7. Add feathers to your cap

You might be developing thousands of games for years. Also, you might have a massive audience base waiting for your products to get launched. During the era of Virtual Reality, it’s the best time to become virtual game investors and surprise your audience with something new and exciting.

Extending your hands in the VR gaming domain will help you build a robust portfolio. Also, it will be a significant step in adding multiple feathers to your cap.

These points might have interested you to develop VR games. However, you can have some doubts regarding whether to invest in Virtual games or not. Or, more precisely, these points might not be compelling enough to strike an investment from you.

You need more reasons. Right? We won’t disappoint you. Have a look below!

Why should you invest in VR game development?

Virtual Reality development is a revenue-generating reservoir. You can enjoy numerous benefits and massive returns by investing in virtual game development.

Are you looking for reasons to invest in virtual reality development? Here are some essential points for you!

1. Higher profitability

As an investor, you might be worried about generating enough profitability. What if you could not generate enough profits by investing in virtual game development? You might be having similar second thoughts at this point. Isn’t it? Good news for you!

The VR gaming industry is a revenue-generating sector with numerous profitable opportunities for investors. So, you can create a fool-proof strategy and jump into pleasing the VR gamers without thinking twice.

The industry is likely to grow and become a trillion-dollar sector in the future. As more top-notch companies have started taking the Virtual Reality development, it’s the best time to play your cards and drive huge profits for your venture.

2. Build brand reputation

The industry and customers prefer brands that remain aligned with the latest technology trends. Do you know? They already expect you to launch something new, primarily using AR/VR technologies.

What can be better than investing in a field that remains buzzworthy every time? Yes, we are discussing the renowned VR gaming sector! It’s the safest thing to do if you wish to experiment with VR technology.

Once you are in the VR domain, you become an industry hotshot and join the list of top companies like Meta. Thus, investing in virtual game development can help you build a brand reputation and appear as a company that remains relevant to the latest technology trends.

3. Spread brand awareness

Everyone discusses virtual reality games these days. Also, the relevant companies find numerous mentions across the media. How does it happen?

It happens because gamers have a massive outreach. They can influence millions of players and game lovers to try out your VR games. Also, they can help your brand grow with positive word of mouth.

All you need is to launch a creative and unique virtual game to become popular among pro gamers and streamers. Since your product is the latest thing, they will love your games and tell others about it.

Consequently, you will achieve better brand awareness in a short span. And that’s what you were seeking ever since. Weren’t you?

4. Social media marketing will favor you

We’re excited to unveil Half-Life: Alyx, our flagship VR game, this Thursday at 10am Pacific Time.

Can’t wait to share it with all of you! pic.twitter.com/BupFCxSrTw

— Valve (@valvesoftware) November 18, 2019

Do you know? The tweet by Valve on ‘Half-Life: Alyx game’s launch has 121,817 likes and 35,433 retweets. That’s the power of social media in popularizing Virtual games.

You can launch a successful virtual game and turn social media marketing in your favor. The gamers are tech-savvy people and remain active on popular social media handles like Twitter, Instagram, and Meta.

You can create a buzz among the masses regarding your new product and attract them to experience the virtual game as it launches. The social media posts about these games gain instant traction, making the product a successful one in the blink of an eye.

As marketing favors VR games, it’s a must-invest domain for you.

5. Many gamers will become VR gamers in the future

Gamers keep hunting for adventurous games. They are gradually overcoming playing traditional games and want to explore something different. That’s when Virtual games became popular among them.

Virtual Reality games are diverting most gamers towards themselves, compelling them to play more often. Eventually, many players will become VR gamers and launch streaming sessions on the same.

You might feel a bit intimidated to invest in Virtual games by looking at the current landscape. Only a few gamers have experienced virtual reality games to date. However, the future will be different. It will hold more VR gamers and less traditional ones.

So, it’s the best time to invest in developing premium VR games and woo the massive user base.

6. The future is bright

Virtual Reality has a bright future. It’s true if we consider the economic growth of the technology, or consider only the scope of VR gaming. Honestly, VR is the most researched domain. As researchers explore its functionalities, more applications are likely to appear in the future.

All these innovations will impact the gaming industry. You can expect that the future in VR gaming has numerous opportunities which were impossible to achieve otherwise. Also, it will have millions of new audiences waiting to experience new platforms offered to them.

Virtual game development is the wisest opportunity if you consider its bright future. Also, it’s the best time to start your virtual game development journey and establish yourself in the domain in a short span.

7. VR hardware to become inexpensive

A massive constraint for virtual game investors is regarding expensive hardware. Do you fear that these components will stop your customers from using your VR games?

Look down below if it’s a yes!

• Between 2018 and 2022, demand for standalone VR devices will increase by 16 times.
• In 2021, Meta sold between 5.3 million and 6.8 million virtual reality hardware components.
• Consumers had nearly 26 million virtual reality headsets in 2020.

What do these figures mean? They imply that VR devices have buyers and it’s not a significant hurdle stopping players to enjoy VR gaming.

Also, these devices will become inexpensive as VR takes center stage in the gaming industry.

8. More outsourcing opportunities

Virtual game development is a tedious task. The industry lacks skilled virtual game developers and creative designers. Also, hiring professionals can be costly and does not guarantee the production of desired virtual games within the stipulated time.

Thankfully, the industry has numerous outsourcing opportunities. Many leading VR game development agencies like Auxano Global Services are ready to work on your project and free you from grave concerns like hiring professionals in your workplace.

So, it’s the best decision to invest in virtual game development now and enjoy the fruits later.

The growing VR industry has a lot to offer to the gaming sector. It’s a booming investment arena that you should not overlook.

Moving on, let’s get more specific about VR game development cost.

Features of top VR games

The key aspect of building VR game development costs is their features. The universal rule is – more the features, the bigger the budget. It applies to virtual games as well.

So, it’s better to understand the various virtual reality game features hiking your expenses. Here’s a detailed list!

• By supporting 360 3D and 180 3D, your virtual game should provide a stereoscopic 3D experience. Such an aspect will help bind your audiences encouraging them to spend more time playing your immersive game.
• It should support multiple video formats, such as 4K and 8K videos. Constraining video compatibility can restrict your leads by stopping them from using your game with the VR devices they possess.
• A multi-platform game can help you become a leader in the VR gaming sector. Make your virtual reality game work on several platforms and be compatible with VR equipment. Your compatibility list should consider iOS, Android, Samsung Gear VR, HTC VIVE, Oculus Rift, and other hardware components.
• You are likely to build improvements in the virtual reality game and use the product in conjunction with different apps. So, make the VR game compatible with general engineering platforms like Autodesk.
• Professional VR cameras, such as the Insta360 PRO, iZugar Z2XL180, and others, should be compatible with the game. You can remove hardware constraints by making it compatible with popular equipment that gamers use.
• Making your virtual game available online with single or multi-user modes will be a huge plus. Also, make sure that the gamers can easily switch between online and offline modes when playing your intriguing virtual reality games.
• The game can have built-in analytics, such as Heatmaps for analyzing user data. It will help you improve the product to build better customer engagement in a short span.

A virtual game with these features is bound to become a massive hit. Also, you can think of all new functionalities and embed them in your VR product. However, make sure that the product remains glitch-free in all situations and at any point in time.

Such feature-rich and glitch-free virtual reality games will help you woo a massive audience in a short span. So, ensure that your VR game checks on all objectives and fulfills the expectations of the gaming community at once.

VR Game Development: Understanding The Underlying Tech Stack

After learning the features of a typical VR game, you might be intrigued to understand another cost-building factor: the underlying technologies. These platforms will consume a massive chunk of your budget but are fundamental in developing premium virtual games.

So, here’s a list of all technologies and platforms that your VR game developers will likely use. Take a look!

Apart from these products, your developers can use more technologies to impart the demanded features in your VR game. So, it depends on your preferences and requirement specifications.

Also, your developers will not use all these technologies in developing your desired game. The choice of technologies depends on your requirements, after all.

Factors to Consider when calculating your VR Game Development Cost

Your VR game development cost will depend on multiple factors. It’s best to visit all the factors before estimating the budget for your project. Don’t worry; we will help you!

Here are the top factors building your VR game development cost. Have a look!

1. Consider the company’s reputation

The final bill for virtual game development depends on the company you will choose. Generally, the top-notch companies charge more than the less popular ones.

Why so?

Remember that a company becomes massive with industry experience, skilled VR developers, and a work portfolio. Overall, their brand reputation depends on years of honing. So, a reputed company is likely to charge more to develop a VR game.

Since these companies know what it takes to develop a successful game, you can stay assured that your investment will yield better returns in the end.

2. Location of VR game developers

The location of VR game developers affects the cost to develop such games. Some regions have less development cost while others have hefty charges.

So, you can conduct market research to select a region with minimal development charges. However, you must consider some factors like language barrier and time zone differences when doing so.

Here are the hourly virtual reality game development charges for different regions worldwide.

• USA and Canada – $150 to $250
• India – $20 to $40
• Eastern Europe – $25 to $80
• Western Europe – $80 to $150

Based on the above list, you can choose a region with minimal development charge and without having other offshoring hurdles.

3. Degree of product complexity

A complex product consumes more resources and time than a simple one. So, the former products have higher development charges than the latter ones. Also, the degree of VR game complexity determines the duration of development. It affects your final bill further.

1. Simple VR games:

Simple Virtual games with minimal features and design require 3 to 5 months to become fully developed.

2. Medium-complexity VR games:

The development of Virtual Reality games with the latest features and standard graphics consumes more time. The developers can ask for a dedicated timeline of around 6 to 8 months to deliver your product.

3. Complex VR games:

Developing feature and graphics-rich virtual reality games take the most time. It can take a year or even more to assemble the required functionalities and develop desired games.

4. Platforms

As discussed earlier, the choice of development technologies and compatible platforms affect the VR game development process and the required budget. You can develop native virtual reality games supporting only one platform. These games are inexpensive.

However, you can invest more to develop a multi-platform VR game from scratch. The choice is yours ultimately!

5. Payment Mode

The most convenient payment approach can be the fixed pricing model. However, it restricts you and the development team from bringing bright ideas to the table due to financial constraints. So, research and innovation remain at stake in such rigid approaches.

However, you can choose a more flexible pricing scheme to develop optimum products. Such a payment approach will help your team look beyond the horizon and think of bright VR game ideas without worrying about financial constraints.

The above factors can heavily affect your budget. You can get a better finance estimate by keeping these parameters in the foreground.

The cost required for VR game development: a breakdown!

The cost required to develop a full-fledged VR game depends on the steps involved. Your expenditure will increase with more steps taken by the developers or development team in the route to building a new-age VR product.

So, it’s better to consider the steps involved in developing a feature-rich VR game.

1. Market research:

The first step is to research the market and identify the probable gamers. For example, you can build an FPS game or a treasure hunt game. Both VR products will have different target audiences. Knowing them and understanding their expectations is essential to developing a premium game.

2. Project documentation:

Once you and the VR game developers decide on the probable features that your VR game should have, the team creates project documentation. It has your requirements, sprint details, and deadlines and acts as a reference for the development team. So, it’s an essential step in the journey to develop a new VR game.

3. Prototyping:

The best VR game development companies offer functional prototypes of your project at the beginning. It offers an overview of how the final product will appear and work when it gets ready. So, developers spend some budget on developing a prototype and save considerable time working on improvements in the future.

4. UI/UX Design:

A VR game depends on visual aesthetics and viewable experiences. So, UI/UX design is a significant step in developing a VR game. The outsourcing company will hire skilled UI/UX designers to work on your VR project to make it appear like your dream. Generally, UI/UX designers charge more which can significantly affect your final bill.

5. Programming:

Indeed, it’s the trickiest phase in developing Virtual games. Your team should have proficient programmers to build the skeleton of your games. They might use several platforms to create the underlying architecture of your games in relevant programming languages. Remember that hiring programmers is expensive.

6. Testing:

Gamers get frustrated if their VR game has numerous bugs and fatal errors. So, testing them against various environments is a must to ensure glitch-free products.

Apart from these stages, the game release is a pivotal aspect in making your products accessible to the target audiences. Also, the responsible companies offer consistent maintenance, support, and update services to help you offer the latest experiences to gamers.

Now that you have understood the cost breakdown, it’s time to reveal the lumpsum amount. You will require spending around $10,000 to $35,000 to develop simple Virtual games having minimal features.

However, your costs will increase by adding more features and functionalities to your VR game. So, you should be ready to invest around $35,000 to $85,000 to develop complex, heavy, and feature-rich Virtual Reality games for gamers.

You’re all caught up now! After knowing the costs required to build a VR game, you might be looking for top-notch VR game development agencies. Aren’t you?

Your lookout ends here! Here’s something to help you build fantastic Virtual games at minimal price points. Have a look!

How can Auxano Global Services help you?

The success of a VR game starts with choosing the best technology partner. So, do you need the best virtual game development company for your project? Auxano Global Services is here to help you!

We are the leading VR game development company that has worked on numerous VR projects including developing premium games for the gaming community.

Here are some of our features making us the most preferred choice among virtual game development investors. Have a look!

• We have numerous skilled VR game developers having high-end familiarity with relevant tech stacks.
• Our team includes top-notch developers, UI/UX designers, testers, and programmers to develop immersive Virtual Reality games from scratch.
• Auxano Global Services is one of the rare companies having experience developing numerous unique Virtual games for audiences.
• We let you hire proficient VR game developers to build cutting-edge products at your convenience.
• Our team offers numerous engagement models for you to hire skilled VR game developers for the required duration at minimal price points
• We have skilled experts to help you design the game plan and pre-decide the required resources before handing your project to the developers.
• Our developers know the value of keeping your Virtual games glitch-free. We ensure removing bugs instantly and fixing errors without delays to help you offer a consistent gaming experience to the audiences.

All these characteristics give us an upper hand in the VR gaming industry. We can help you transform your VR gaming dream into a reality by choosing the best-fit resources at competitive price points.

Our VR game development services

Before collaborating with us, you would want to know about our entire virtual game development suite. Also, it’s essential to understand the offerings before choosing a company as your VR game development partner.

So, here’s a glimpse of our unique and exclusively tailored VR game development services.

Let’s explore!

1. Custom Virtual game development

We offer custom VR game development services based on your requirements, target audiences, and budget.

2. VR game designing

Our creative UI/UX designer creates the most appealing Virtual Reality games for you.

3. VR game testing

Our team ensures that your Virtual Reality games function as expected before delivery. So, we subject them to rigorous testing to remove errors and glitches.

4. VR game consultation

Don’t have a clear virtual game development plan? We will help you get project clarity with high-end suggestions from our experts.

5. Support and maintenance

Our developers keep your VR games up-to-date even after delivery with continuous support and maintenance services.

The bottom line

The cost of developing a VR game depends on your requirements and decisions. It’s best to take a step back to decide the best resources for your project to avoid mishaps.

Do you need our assistance in chalking out the strategy and developing VR games for you? Contact us now!

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