Facebook Gaming Mobile App Is Coming Sooner Than You Think
Before mobile gaming become the billion-dollar industry it is today, Facebook was the go-to for more casual but equally addictive pastimes. It has lost its head start a long time ago, however, but it is also trying to make up for lost time with its Facebook Gaming platform. It still has a long way to go to actually be considered a serious contender but it might just get the upper hand once the Facebook Gaming mobile app launches on Monday.
Some people might still be confused as to what Facebook Gaming really is. Long story short, it's more or less everything. It's a platform for more casual games, the time that Facebook specialized in the past, but it's also a platform for streaming gameplays, directly competing with Amazon's Twitch, Microsoft's Mixer, and YouTube Gaming. It seems that most Facebook Gaming users gravitate more towards the latter use case and that may be how Facebook Gaming will narrow the gap with Twitch.
The Facebook Gaming app will allow for nearly seamless streaming of mobile games without requiring any elaborate setup, especially one that would require connecting to a computer. Users can then stream immediately to Facebook friends or upload for later viewing. Since they're already on Facebook, they will have instant access to a giant network without having to go back and forth with another streaming service.
Facebook now sees gaming as its next cash cow, especially after the spike that the market is currently enjoying due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Facebook Gaming app will combine two lucrative markets – mobile gaming and social networks – to potentially corner the mobile market before Twitch and others can even plant a firm foot on it.
Initially intended for a June launch, Facebook has reportedly decided to launch the Facebook Gaming app on Monday, for Android first followed by iOS when the app gets approved. There will be no ads in the app, at least for now, but viewers will be able to send streamers "stars" that cost money and Facebook will take a cut from those transactions.