AbstractBackgroundVirtual reality (VR) technology has been increasingly used in the management of people living with dementia, serving as a novel and important non‐pharmacologic approach to address the complex behavioral and psychological symptoms. The objective of this phase 1 study was to develop an immersive gamification technology system (ImGTS), specifically, a VR application, and describe its acceptability, usability, and safety in a cohort of healthy adults.MethodThe development of ImGTS included software and hardware designs appropriate for the local context and tested using two distinct set‐ups: head‐mounted display (HMD) and the Semi‐Cave automatic virtual environment (Semi‐CAVE). Qualitative and quantitative data questionnaires, with responses analyzed using thematic analysis and descriptive statistics were used to measure the sense of place, usability and safety of the two set‐ups.ResultParticipants who used the HMD (n = 15) and the Semi‐CAVE (n = 15) had positive impressions and clear recollections of the VR experience. Incidence of VR sickness symptoms was low, and the mean total VR sickness scores decreased across sessions. Participants in both groups were able to perform key tasks in the VR experience, and the majority performed these actions with ease by the final testing session (n = 15 for the HMD, n = 13 for the Semi‐CAVE). The three main activities were given a ‘neutral to positive’ description in terms of satisfaction.ConclusionThe technology we developed had a considerable level of impact in eliciting important aspects of cognition and emotion. Through self‐reported measures and researcher observations, we found that the HMD and Semi‐CAVE VR setups were safe, acceptable and usable by healthy adult participants.