Yesterday Facebook announced that social-game developers would soon be forced to use in-house virtual currency called Facebook Credits to process payments. This means that starting July 1, Facebook will siphon off 30 percent of developers’ revenue from virtual goods transactions in exchange for early access to new features and promotions on the site. For members, it means having only to type in your credit card information once. (You don’t mind if Facebook stores that for you, do you?) Since we long ago blocked Farmville and Cityville, which already use Credits, from our Facebook feed, we hoped the currency could also be applied elsewhere.
1. Intel Chris would like to buy people’s affections to make them look at him and like his status update, etc.
2. Intel Nitasha would not be opposed to reassuring messages that she is for sure hotter every time she stalks an ex-boyfriend’s photo album.
3. Could you buy access to anyone’s photos? (Intel Dan’s pervy friend was curious.)
Remember when headlines fawned over the offline economy produced by people buying their avatars outfits in SecondLife? Just sayin, Zuck.
The Next Step for Facebook Credits [Facebook Developer Blog via Atlantic]
