WebXR Monetization

tags: devlog

Intro

Technically, WebXR is a device API that makes it possible to distribute VR/AR experiences over a web browser. It is broadly used to describe web based VR/AR experiences.

The web is the biggest platform, able to reach almost every device and balance the power with app stores through permissionless innovation. However, there's a major issue holding the ecosystem back from growing: monetization.

There's a reason why 99% of WebXR apps look like prototypes, it's because indie creators struggle with finding ways to capture value.

More polished experiences like Mozilla Hubs and Frame usually have the backing of a large entity, so they can survive.

While many of the apps on the front page of Oculus Store net millions in sales, apps on the startpage for Oculus browser (#1 app) can barely hit $100 a month in ad rev.

How can other developers and studios justify spending more resources into this open ecosystem like this and make it more than just a hobby?

Questions

Feel free to contribute questions, supplement thoughts below them, and leave space for more responses.

1. How do people pay for WebXR content currently?

• Are they?
• Tickets (MCC in Hubs, FIVARS in JanusWeb)
  • Have been cheap in the past
• Crypto for virtual land: https://cryptovoxels.com/map
• Hubs Cloud: https://hubs.mozilla.com/cloud

2. What is actually being paid for in the present?

• Access
  • Login / Bot handles ticket ownership
• Parcels (NFTs)
• Content (ex : stereo video streaming services)
  • XXX

3. In what ways can we make that process easier and more frictionless?

4. What monetization strategies have yet to be explored?

• #101-Ideas

5. How can artists get paid?

• Commissions + Projects
• Top 5 of 101 Ideas
  • Patreon
  • Github sponsors
  • Grants
  • VC investment
  • Event tickets

6. Is there a multimodal solution that would work best for in VR payment?

Pay with apple/google pay on your phone while in VR

7. Thoughts about non-payment based monetization strategies such as advertising?

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101 Ideas

One day Avaer came up with 100 ideas for monetizing WebXR, which was then presented at the WebXR hubs meetup.

Here's the list (full image https://i.imgur.com/N6ozjmu.png):

• Patreon
  • Many VR creators and sometimes platforms (NeoSVR) are using this
• Github Sponsors
  • Avaer
• VC Investment
• Event Tickets
  • Really unexplored still
• Discord community with paid roles
  • FIVARS / VRTO did some
  • WHALE / Metafactory using collab.land
• Virtual market stalls
  • Currently in-progress via Vket5
• Avatar store
  • Need some sort of VRMchat for people to buy this for webxr
• Tailors
  • When people buy avatar weawrables they'll want it custom fit their avatar
• Virtual land parcels
  • Minting webxr worlds this weekend
  • Cryptovoxels
• Twitch streaming with bits
  • Avaer and Sorskoot are streaming webxr development
• Engine licensing
  • wonderland
• App store
  • Construct Arcade
  • FIVARS made a token system for watching movies / games, can be repurposed
• In-world advertising
  • Elijah from Vhite Rabbit / Construct arcade was exploring with Wonderleap
  • Admix
  • Google Ads work in WebXR
  • No official or unofficial link in how to do that
    • We should spin up a Github repo example with a working example
      • Lotta different developers working on various frameworks can contribute an example using it
• Payment processing
  • Make it easier to integrate with paypal / crypto / discord
    • Discord path seems easiest
    • FIVARS did a lot of maunal work here, could be outsourced?
• Virtual actors
  • voice actors
  • full body actors
    • performers
  • capturing / minting mocap libraries
    • Train AI npcs
  • Storytelling
    • The Scarecrow: Raindance film festival
    • Live actors in neosvr live performance
• Youtube shows with ads
  • Once people adopt VRM the avatars will be more dynamic
  • WebXR can be used for immersive playback
    • Green screen
    • 360 / depth / 180
  • Podcast / Panel sponsors
• Virtual conference experiences
  • MCC VR Walkthrough
  • VRTO
  • https://github.com/
• Web VR-Targeted YouTube Ad Demographics
  • The responding demographic to ads so far is 18-44 year old males interested in: software, gamers, game consoles, computer & peripherals, high-end computer aficionados, gaming peripherals & accessories.. searching for "virtual virtual reality vr", "in vr", "oculus quest 2", "web game 3d"
  • $9.11 ad spend, 549 impressions, 101 views / 18.4% view rate
  • the highest view rate placement is on EddieVR's videos (one of the core VRchat comedy skit group members)

WebXR XRPK mocap recorder / playback (mocap NFTs)

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Github Examples

Lets create a Github repo of examples for WebXR monetization!

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Notes

• Somnium Space now has a WebXR client
• M3: 2019-06-30 - Long Discussion on Monetization

Tim Sweeney Metaverse

37:12 We have to we have to look and recognize that there's a lot of value in ways of enabling monetization of content other than through paying money directly for it.

M3: Virtual World Economy Panel 2019

A company working on webxr monetization : Wonderleap

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Zesty

https://www.zesty.market/

https://docs.zesty.market/guides/creators

WIP