• by Colin Kirkland , August 31, 2023

After more than a year of development, Effect House –– TikTok’s augmented-reality creation studio -- is officially out of beta, providing a wider array of creators with the tools to build in-app AR effects, from AR apparel to fantasy worlds and interactive games.

The short-form video platform’s AR studio closely resembles Snapchat’s Lens Studio as well as Meta’s Spark AR platform, all of which are focused on helping creators deliver the latest social-media trends.

While Snapchat has supplanted itself as a pioneer and leader in AR capabilities in the social media space, TikTok’s global audience and unparalleled algorithm in addition to its rising influence over entertainment industries and viral hits may persuade more AR creators to flock to its Effect House offering.

“Since launching version 1.0 in 2022, effects made by Effect House’s community of creators have inspired more than 21 billion videos,” TikTok said in a recent statement. The company added that these videos attracted over eight trillion views across the globe and filled the Effect House Discord page with 400,000 members.

In its initial announcement, TikTok listed 20 new features that will be included in Effect House, including an asset library full of customizable 3D models and materials, an effects editor, profile photo animation, over 50 templates to start creating from, generative effects and more.

For creators looking to monetize, TikTok also highlighted its new Creator Bonus and its $6 million Effect Creator Rewards program, which pays creators $700 dollars for every effect used in 500K unique videos within 90 days and an additional $140 for every 100K videos published thereafter.

TikTok also mentioned its Branded Effect Closed Beta, which pairs designers with brands to build branded effects together.

The company said it will be adding innovative tools, feature, and resources to Effect House in the future.