VRChat is loading into the creator economy with an avatar store

More than a decade after its initial launch, VRChat is looking to improve its bottom line through the sale of virtual goods. The tech company known for operating a namesake virtual reality platform has announced an Avatar Marketplace where users can buy and sell custom-made avatars as well as other digital cosmetics.

Vendors who wish to sell on the new Avatar Marketplace must first enter VRChat’s Creator Economy program. Once approved, sellers upload their designs to the Marketplace and set a price. Buyers pay via the on-platform currency known as “VRChat Credits.” Though the exact revenue split from those purchases hasn’t been made public, a VRChat blog post notes that creators pocket “the largest cut” of the earnings.

VRChat’s path forward will center creators

Though it has been active on some headsets since 2014, VRChat was one of the apps that enjoyed a breakout during the COVID-19 pandemic, when its virtual hangouts functioned as replacements for postponed IRL gatherings. Many companies that thrived during peak COVID ran into financial hardships once the world began to open up again, and VRChat was no exception. In June 2024, the Bay Area-based tech firm laid off 30% of its workforce.

One year after those layoffs, as the mood surrounding metaverse experiences shifts, VRChat has positioned itself as a virtual reality alternative to Roblox. Its on-platform experiences serve as a hotbed for meme culture, with some of YouTube’s most-watched channels dispensing the latest VRChat jokes.

VRChat has recently added some Roblox-style branded experiences as well, with McDonald’s Japan serving as one of the first takers. On Roblox, an abundance of interconnected worlds creates a plethora of opportunities to sell digital goods. With its Avatar Marketplace, VRChat is testing how lucrative its world-building mechanics can be for users.

VRChat sells, but who’s buying?

The platform set a personal record earlier this year by getting 66,284 concurrent players

on Steam. An expanding player base has led to increasing demand for virtual wares, but until the launch of the Avatar Marketplace, users had to rely on third-party vendors like Hikky to sell via VRChat.

The new hub streamlines that process. “For creators, getting avatars in front of the VRChat audience has been a roundabout process,” reads the introductory blog post. “We wanted to streamline that process, enabling creators to sell their avatars directly to other users — with far less friction. Likewise, we wanted users to have a far better opportunity to find an avatar that fits them.”

The community making those purchases will likely include a lot of furries. That fandom is not only big on VRChat, but also regarded as having a high number of big spenders within it. Will buyers from “the one furr cent” send the Avatar Marketplace soaring sky high?

For that to happen, the Avatar Marketplace will have to get big enough to reach a significant portion of the VRChat user base. The platform notes that it is being “selective” about the sellers it admits to the new Marketplace, with “talented, experienced artists and developers” getting priority. The relevant seller application can be found here.

The Avatar Marketplace has potential among VRChat’s loyal base, but it also functions as an entry point for those who may not have experience with immersive digital experiences. Despite its name, VRChat is not just for people with virtual reality headsets. It’s also available on PCs and Android devices, with an iOS launch coming soon. Could a haven for furries become the next big competitor for Roblox? At the very least, VRChat is going to sell a lot of sharp-looking skins.