YouTube for Virtual Worlds Has Arrived

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The creator economy is entering the 3D age.

For the first time, you can build a world—and get paid every time someone steps inside.

Viverse, HTC’s new browser-based platform, is redefining how creators monetize immersive experiences. Think YouTube for 3D worlds: upload your project, get instant hosting, earn per view, and even lock special content behind subscriptions or ads.

VIVERSE AND THE FUTURE OF 3D CREATOR ECONOMY

HTC’s Head of Growth, Andranik Aslanyan, calls Viverse “a browser-based YouTube for immersive 3D content.”

Built on open-source tech with polygon streaming, it lets creators stream high-density 3D models the same way Netflix streams video—delivering complex worlds instantly, on desktop, mobile, or VR. No downloads, no friction.

For creators, the technology changes everything.

• Worlds can be built and hosted for free.

• Each view generates payouts, just like a video view.

• Advanced developers can use PlayCanvas, while non-technical creators can import Sketchfab models and build directly from the web.

The Creator Program offers guaranteed funding and performance-based payouts. The team is currently favoring shorter, high-impact projects over massive, year-long builds. The philosophy is simple: ship fast, learn, and iterate.

Andranik shared a case study of a cyberpunk Stellarium—a 3D art gallery accessible only to Patreon supporters. This proved that virtual worlds can serve as exclusive membership perks, replacing static web pages with immersive, branded environments. Fans don’t just click—they enter.

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WHY IT MATTERS - A DEEPER DIVE

The interview with Andranik Aslanyan paints a bold vision: not just a metaverse, but a monetizable 3D Web.

But why should people beyond XR insiders care?

Here’s why this shift is profound—and perhaps inevitable.

1. Attention Moves to Spatial Experiences

In the 2010s, YouTube rewarded attention with a 2D video.

In the 2020s, attention is migrating into immersive spaces. If platforms like Viverse succeed, they will do for 3D what YouTube did for video: turn presence into a currency.

• Creators get paid not for clicks or likes, but for the time people spend inside their worlds.

• That changes how we value content. A short, emotionally powerful VR moment may be more valuable than a long 2D video.

• It blurs the line between “content” and “environment.” Your world is the content.

2.  Lowering the Entry Barrier for 3D Creation

The “install friction” has been a giant barrier to adoption for virtual worlds.

Viverse’s browser-first strategy (no download) breaks that. Combine that with AI tools and web SDKs, and creators with limited technical backgrounds can ship 3D worlds faster.

• Viverse integrates Sketchfab import and a web builder for non-technical creators.

• More advanced creators can use PlayCanvas for fully interactive worlds.

• When creation tools become as easy as editing a web page, the volume of worlds—and the creativity inside them—will explode.

3. New Models of Digital Ownership & Engagement

With pay-per-view, subscription access, and in-world commerce, immersive spaces evolve beyond static portfolios.

They become ecosystems:

• You can lock parts of a world behind a subscription (like the Stellarium example).

• You can sell virtual goods, passes, or unlocks inside a space—not as pixels, but as experiences.

• Brands, artists, and educators can launch virtual venues, tours, or installations monetized by engagement.

4.  Incentives Align with Quality, Not Clickbait

Traditional 2D platforms often reward frequency or virality over deep value.

With view-based XR payouts:

• Rewards follow engagement duration, not just eyeballs.

• Creators are motivated to hold attention, not inflate clickbait titles.

• Good design, storytelling, and comfort become monetizable strengths.

5. The 3D Web Is the Next Frontier for Digital Infrastructure

We’ve seen mobile apps, responsive web, and AR overlays.

The next major transition is spatial computing. Platforms like Viverse—which stream meshes and environments in real time—help define how that infrastructure will work.

• Polygon streaming (streaming 3D meshes on demand) is analogous to video streaming but infinitely more complex.

• Efficient mesh, LOD, and compression techniques will become essential infrastructure.

• The platforms that master real-time 3D delivery and monetization will act as the “rails” of the spatial economy.

That’s a wrap!!

Talk soon!

Bruno Filkin
Founder, Mastermind VR