## 2 Theoretical Background
While this literature highlights the breadth of VR's educational potential, our article focuses specifically on the use of VR for social skills training, with an emphasis on commercially available tools that can be implemented by non-technical educators. In addition to the diverse examples highlighting the educational potential of VR, a more critical look at the current research landscape reveals several methodological and conceptual challenges. Still, VR has not yet achieved widespread adoption in education [26]. One major limitation is the lack of readily available and pedagogically sound VR software solutions. Many educators and institutions struggle to identify which VR applications effectively support their learning objectives. Furthermore, the rapid technological advancements in VR hardware have not always been matched by equally sophisticated educational software, leading to a gap between technological capability and practical usability in educational settings. Moreover, a majority of existing research relies on small sample sizes, short intervention durations, and context-specific implementations, limiting generalizability as well as knowledge gain for educational practice. Furthermore, most research emphasizes cognitive outcomes, while affective and social dimensions of learning, particularly in social VR environments, are underexplored. This lack of comprehensive evaluation hampers the formulation of evidence-based guidelines for educational practice. Therefore, this article seeks to address this issue by mapping existing commercial VR providers and their solutions for training social skills. By providing a structured overview of available software solutions, this article aims to support researchers and practitioners in selecting VR applications that align with their educational goals and instructional needs. In this regard, the emergence of social VR platforms and AI-driven avatars marks a significant shift in how VR is used in education. In social VR environments, multiple users can simultaneously interact within a virtual 3D space using an HMD. In most social VR platforms, users can create and modify their own avatars before engaging with others in the virtual space [41]. Recent research has begun to explore the pedagogical potential of such multi-user VR spaces, particularly in fostering collaboration, empathy, and intercultural competence [7, 20, 41, 42]. However, empirical studies on the effectiveness of social VR are still in their infancy, and questions remain regarding integration, learner support, and ethical considerations such as privacy and psychological safety. Similarly, while AI-powered dialogue systems offer personalized learning opportunities, their actual pedagogical impact and reliability require further scrutiny. Current AI models struggle with nuanced feedback, contextual understanding, and language-specific performance, particularly in non-English settings. Future studies should address these limitations by combining usability research with pedagogical effectiveness evaluations. In summary, while the benefits and drawbacks of VR technology in educational settings have been well-documented in the research literature, researchers and practitioners in educational contexts who have determined that VR is the most appropriate tool for their specific learning environment still face a significant challenge. Without technical expertise in designing and developing their own VR environments using complex tools like Unity or Blender, they need suitable VR software that can be tailored to their specific instructional needs, learning objectives, and the needs of their learners. However, the market for VR technology is vast and complex, making it difficult to navigate. In this article, we therefore aim to address the following research question and provide researchers and practitioners with a first orientation guide. 1. What are the key features and characteristics of commercial VR software solutions that can support social skills training?