A couple of years ago, the idea of virtual reality seemed more like a fantastic fiction rather than an upcoming and widely accepted trend. However, as we can see today, the biggest share of the gaming market has already been conquered by this technology. Since the earliest days of Oculus Rift and Samsung Gear VR, the game industry has made a large step into the new era of entertainment.
Today, the central market trends are focused on hardware production and brand-new technologies that can provide gamers with an absolutely new experience. HTC, Google, Sony, Oculus, Microsoft, and Nintendo work on various technologies that ensure free actions and recreation of all human senses in VR games. There are no doubts that this is going to boost the growth of this segment.
Why do players choose VR games?
What is so special about VR games and why do users show interest in them? This is a technology of the three-dimensional world of video games, where players experience a so-called “absolute immersion”, which implements the main desire of all gamers in life. Now they have an opportunity to live inside of the game, not just play it. Users get access to the game via special devices, such as glasses, gloves, and other motion controllers. These devices react to their movement and respond appropriately to every performed action.
The audience of these games consists of gamers, who have computers that are strong enough to handle such a format. Mostly, they are teenagers who make regular use of a well-known gaming platform Steam, or developers who prefer Unreal Engine 4 (UE4) and Unity game engines. As for their diversity, well, VR games can offer a pretty extensive list of genres, including shooters, horrors, arcades, RPGs, and more.
VR technologies
The potential of VR technologies is striking since their main aim is to trick the human brain into believing that this experience is real. VR creates worlds and allows people to interact with the environment, erasing the borders between “real” and “fiction”. Does this remind you about the legendary Matrix by brothers (sisters now) Wachowski?
Don’t worry, there are no reasons to think that the game developers will make things that gloomy. Instead, the expanded edges of reality will certainly provide:
- Freedom of interaction – VR is all about interacting with the environment the way you want;
- Intensive and tangible experience – VR gives players a feeling of presence supported by 360 video and realistic graphics;
- Improved content – developers will strive to create better gameplay and pay more attention to the main protagonists.
Currently, the VR versions of well-known titles are already on the run. For instance, the biggest hit of 2017, Fallout 4 VR, has been translated into immersive realistic gunplay that takes place in the world after a global catastrophe. Skyrim, an exciting fantasy saga, has already been transported into VR as well.
VR version of Resident Evil 7 strikes with amazing graphics and sound. And there are more upcoming VR games to come, including Borderlands, Star Wars, Population One, Space Junkies, etc. All of them are supported by Oculus Rift, Vive, Windows and other platforms.
Virtual reality game development: the actual costs
If you are not sure that you have the time and desire to learn how to develop games yourself, then you should hire a development team. We(name of the company) are one of the companies, where you can request professional assistance in creating VR games and 3D presentations for the price you are ready to spend. When hiring a reliable developer, you can count on guidance and professional outcomes.
To estimate the scope of work, set up the price and development timeline, please tell us about the task you intend to solve with the help of virtual reality technology. This is how a developing process looks like when choosing our services:
Game design document
Planning requires special attention, since the more efforts and money you will spend on it, the fewer problems you will encounter during the development process. The cost of game design starts from $3000 and the price may vary depending on the complexity of the game.
When you hire a developer at our company, make sure to explain your ideas and vision clearly. The more information you provide, the better result you will get. The developers can help you with a user story and design plan for an additional cost. Of course, you need to know what you want and have a full picture in your head, but there is absolutely no need to highlight every single detail. Try to find the balance between your expectations and developers’ freedom of creation.
Platform and software
There are several platforms for virtual reality games, including Google Cardboard, Samsung Gear VR, Oculus Rift, HTC Vive, Microsoft HoloLens, and PSVR. They have different functionality and features; therefore, prices vary accordingly. You have to decide which one you would like to stick to before you start planning your expenses.
Research and development
The first thing our developers will do for you is extensive research. This is necessary to find out how the latest technologies can be applied to your project. The development phase is about turning theory into practice. At this stage, experts start the process of creation. During the process, they will have to test their ideas and readjust them until everything works properly.
Visual design
Design and graphics are everything when it comes to virtual reality experience. Make sure that you know how your future game will look like before applying for development services. Here are the basic elements of design you should consider (with prices):
2D or 3D? While 2D is a low-cost option for game design, it might be not the best option for VR. At the same time, a 3D environment with all the details, character figures, items, and landscape will cost you $10,000-$300,000 or even more. Everything depends on the level of complexity and quality.
360-degree camera. VR games cannot do without panoramic views. The cost of this amazing feature will depend on the graphics.
Conclusion
Indeed, a development process can cost you a huge amount of money. However, hiring experienced professionals, who know what they do, is a better idea than trying to create a game yourself or entrusting your project to a freelancer with low qualifications. Before you start, remember that your main aim is to plan everything from the ground up and express your ideas to the experts in the most detailed form. Consider all the points we have listed above and maybe your future masterpiece will get its place in the list of the best VR games in 2020! Good luck with your fantastic virtual worlds!
