Meta Rolls Out New Feature for People Who Want to Make Money in the Metaverse

The company also unveiled its Horizon Worlds Creator Bonus program for U.S. participants on Monday.

By Amanda Breen • edited by Jessica Thomas • Apr 12, 2022

Meta announced Monday that it’s begun testing the next big thing within the metaverse: the sale of digital goods and services that can be transported between virtual and physical worlds. CEO Mark Zuckerberg appeared in a video alongside a blog post on the company’s website, where he discussed how monetization tools within the company’s virtual-reality game Horizon Worlds will give creators a chance to experiment with new ways to earn.

Creators selling virtual items and effects will see a couple of new options in Create mode: a Commerce tab and gizmo that allow them to create goods for sale. This could look like attachable accessories or even access to a new part of a world. For now, only U.S. and Canadian users who are 18 or older will be eligible to buy the items in the game.

“While we’re launching this today as a test with a handful of creators to get their feedback, these types of tools are steps toward our long-term vision for the metaverse where creators can earn a living and people can purchase digital goods, services, and experiences,” the company said.

Last October, Meta announced its $10 million Horizon Creators Fund, which provides resources to the Horizon Worlds creators. Meta also unveiled its Horizon Worlds Creator Bonus program for U.S. participants on Monday. Still in its testing phase and available only to a “handful” of creators, the bonuses are associated with “goal-oriented monthly programs,” wherein creators are paid at the end of that period for progress made. Meta has said the bonuses are not subject to fees and will be paid in full.

Though Zuckerberg has said it will likely take five to 10 years for the metaverse to become mainstream, he’s also doubled down on its potential to completely replace the internet as we know it. In an October 2021 letter, the tech billionaire wrote, “We’ve gone from desktop to web to mobile; from text to photos to video. But this isn’t the end of the line. The next platform will be even more immersive — an embodied internet where you’re in the experience, not just looking at it. We call this the metaverse, and it will touch every product we build.”