Apple criticizes Meta for almost 50% commission on sale of digital items in its metaverse

According reported, Meta (formerly Facebook) announced that it would now allow the sale of digital items and experiences in its Horizon Worlds metaverse.

However, what seemed to be good news for users, who could monetize their business in the virtual reality game, became the target of much criticism even from Apple.

That’s because the Goal will take almost half of the value of each sale. According to a company spokesperson, the commission will be 47.5% on each transaction. This includes a 30% fee for sales through the Meta Quest Store and a 17.5% fee for Horizon Worlds.

“We have structured our fees to put more money per transaction into the pockets of world creators than many other products in this space,” a Meta representative said in an email to The Block. “But we are also just getting started. We look forward to learning a lot about how our creator ecosystem will evolve better as Horizon Worlds grows.”

Initially, the feature will only be available to certain creators:

“For example, someone can manufacture and sell attachable accessories for a fashion world or offer paid access to a new part of a world,” said a company statement.

Apple criticizes Meta’s high rate in the metaverse

News of the high commission comes a few months after Mark Zuckerberg promised he would make the metaverse more accessible and profitable for creators.

Last year, the company heavily criticized Apple for charging developers a 30% fee in the Apple Store.

At the time, Zuckerberg claimed that building the metaverse would unlock opportunities for creators to make money. In November 2021, the executive stated:

“The 30% fees Apple charges on transactions make this more difficult. So we are updating our subscription product so creators can earn more.”

Now, after news of the nearly 50% rate became public, Apple has responded accordingly. To the MarketWatch portal, Apple spokesman Fred Sainz criticized:

“Meta has repeatedly attacked Apple for charging developers a 30% commission for App Store purchases. And it used small businesses and creators as a scapegoat at every turn. Now, Meta seeks to charge these same creators significantly more than any other platform. The ad reveals Meta’s hypocrisy. It shows that while they are looking to use Apple’s platform for free, they are happily taking it from creators and small businesses.”