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5 Costly Mistakes Companies Make When Starting with XR
Hard-earned lessons behind failed (and successful) enterprise XR projects.
Roman L Binder & Bruno Filkin
May 21, 2025 • Estimated Reading Time: 10 minutes
In partnership with
Countless companies pour millions into XR initiatives each year, only to end up with empty promises and wasted resources.
They chase fleeting trends, prioritizing buzz over tangible outcomes, often ignoring the practical challenges their teams and customers face. They deploy headsets without addressing real needs. Innovation without strategy is just costly chaos. Let’s ensure your XR journey doesn’t become another cautionary tale.
In today's episode, we will show you the biggest mistake and how to avoid becoming another failure story.
Before we dive into why that always happens and the 5 steps to overcome this hurdle, let’s check out this week’s sponsor below 👇🏼👇🏼👇🏼
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🗓️ What’s Coming Up Next
Mastermind Webinar with Bruno Filkin
Webinar: MastermindVR founder Bruno Filkin.
Join us for the first session on May 15, 2025, hosted by Bruno Filkin, who will walk you through how he builds VR software for enterprise training—step by step.
He’ll unpack real client use cases, including how Mastermind VR helped Karl Storz cut training time with a custom VR simulation.
Expect live Q&A, behind-the-scenes walkthroughs, and a chance to see how high-ticket VR projects come to life—from prototype to deployment.
📍 When: To be announced — RSVP to stay updated
📍 Register: here
5 Costly Mistakes Companies Make When Starting with XR
Mistake 1: Jumping in Without a Clear Use Case
Many companies chase the XR hype without a solid strategy.
Without a specific problem to solve, XR becomes a flashy gimmick rather than a valuable tool, wasting time and money. For example, a manufacturing firm might invest in XR for training but fail to pinpoint which skills need improvement. The result? The program is vague and ineffective, delivering no real impact.
How to fix: Define a clear use case first. Pinpoint a high-value opportunity—like cutting training time for complex machinery or boosting safety in risky settings—and build your XR initiative around it. Start small, prove the concept, then scale.
HUGE XR NEWS 🚀🤯
The extended reality (XR) field continued to advance this week, with Google, Apple, Samsung and others unveiling new initiatives in augmented, virtual, and mixed reality. Below are key developments across enterprise and consumer XR
Key Developments
Google: Teased new Android XR smart glasses ahead of I/O 2025 and plans deeper AR/VR integration into the Android platform (9to5Google). The company is ramping up its XR efforts at the upcoming developer conference, even letting attendees demo the glasses as it builds excitement for wearable AR devices (Source).
Apple: Reportedly testing an eye-tracking feature that lets Vision Pro users scroll through apps using just their eyes (The Verge). The capability is expected in a visionOS 3 update, underscoring Apple’s push for more intuitive hands-free interactions in its AR/VR ecosystem (Source).
Samsung: Unveiled two cutting-edge OLED microdisplays for next-gen XR headsets, boasting ultra-high resolution and brightness (Mixed). A 1.3-inch panel offers 3,888×3,888 (4200 PPI) at 20,000 nits, and a 1.4-inch panel reaches 5,200×4,000 (5000 PPI) at 15,000 nits—far exceeding current headset display specs (Source).
Pimax: Delayed its ultra-compact Dream Air PC VR headset to Q3 2025 and revealed a cheaper ‘Dream Air SE’ model (Road to VR). The Dream Air aims to compete in the high-end lightweight VR segment, but its launch was pushed to incorporate top-tier Sony micro-OLED panels, with the SE offering a more affordable option (Source).
Snap & BBC: Collaborated on an AR experience to make learning sign language more accessible via Snapchat (XR Today). The BBC-commissioned lens—developed with creative studio Shahnanigans – uses augmented reality to teach basic sign language, showcasing XR’s potential for inclusive education and engagement (Source).
Virtualware: Announced a strategic partnership with Asamaka Industries to expand the use of its VIROO XR platform in industrial automation (XR Today). The alliance combines Virtualware’s immersive training tech with Asamaka’s engineering expertise, aiming to accelerate enterprise XR adoption for manufacturing and defense applications (Source).
Mistake 2: Failing to Involve End Users Early
Ignoring the people who’ll actually use XR is a recipe for low adoption.
If the solution doesn’t fit their workflows, they’ll reject it outright. Imagine a healthcare provider rolling out an XR tool for surgical training without asking surgeons for input. The tool ends up misaligned with their needs and sits unused.
How to fix: Engage end users from day one. Run workshops, collect feedback, and tweak the XR experience to solve their real challenges. A user-centric approach ensures adoption and maximizes value.
Mistake 3: Overinvesting in Hardware First
Buying pricey XR headsets before testing content is a classic blunder.
Hardware alone doesn’t guarantee success—content drives the experience. A retail chain might splurge on hundreds of top-tier headsets, only to realize they lack compelling applications. The equipment remains unused, resulting in a financial loss.
How to fix Prioritize content over hardware. Start with a small pilot—test XR software on a few devices, refine it based on results, and only then scale up your hardware investment.
Mistake 4: Underestimating Internal Resistance
Change can scare employees, especially if they think XR threatens their jobs. Without buy-in, resistance stalls progress and inflates costs.
Take an energy company where workers resisted XR, fearing automation. The rollout dragged on, racking up extra training expenses.
Solution: Communicate clearly and early. Show employees how XR enhances their skills—not replaces them—and involve them in the process. Transparency turns skeptics into advocates.
Mistake 5: Ignoring Measurable ROI
No proof of results? Your CFO will pull the plug.
Without clear metrics, justifying XR spending becomes a losing battle. A logistics firm might deploy XR for warehouse tasks but skip setting goals. When pressed for evidence of success, they flounder.
How to fix: Establish measurable outcomes upfront—think reduced error rates or faster onboarding. Track these relentlessly to prove ROI and keep the project alive.
XR can transform how companies operate, but only with a thoughtful strategy.
Avoid these five traps—vague goals, sidelined users, hardware obsession, resistance, and untracked returns—and you’ll unlock its full potential. Assess your XR plans today: dodge these pitfalls, and watch your investment pay off.
VR Tool of the Week: Gleechi
What it is: A VR training platform that accelerates hands-on learning with safe, immersive simulations, data-driven insights, and global accessibility.
Why it’s great: Gleechi’s advanced hand-interaction tech cuts training time and boosts safety. It works across industries, offers smart analytics, and is scalable for global use. A study shows 72% of users prefer it over traditional methods, making it ideal for efficient, impactful training.
Example: A manufacturing firm uses Gleechi to train staff on machinery, cutting training time by 40% and reducing accidents by 20%. The VR modules ensure safe, practical learning.
Playbook fit: Supports Step 3 (Scalable Modularity) with flexible deployment and Step 5 (Define Success) with clear analytics.
Resource: Gleechi.com
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Looking forward to connecting,
Bruno Filkin
Founder, Mastermind VR
VR Strategy Consultation
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