Facebook is launching a dedicated gaming app to take on Twitch, YouTube

guest · Apr 19, 2020

Facebook is launching a dedicated gaming app to take on Twitch, YouTube
April 19, 2020
https://www.theverge.com/2020/4/19/...app-livestream-youtube-twitch-esports-android

Twitch and YouTube don’t have much competition when it comes to streaming platforms for the gaming community, but Facebook wants to change that with a new dedicated mobile gaming app.

Facebook’s gaming app will largely curate and focus on the streaming community, although it will also highlight casual games that people might play online already, including Words with Friends, according to the New York Times.
The app, which is set to be introduced on April 20th, will also reportedly only be available on Android devices at first. The company has plans to release the app for iOS devices once “Apple approves them.”

It was originally supposed to launch in June, according to the Times, but Facebook moved it up to meet current demand.

“Investing in gaming in general has become a priority for us because we see gaming as a form of entertainment that really connects people,” Fidji Simo, head of the Facebook app, told the New York Times.
Click to expand...

That said, Facebook Gaming is growing. Facebook Gaming saw a 210 percent increase in hours watched between December 2018 and December 2019, according to a report from streaming software company StreamElements, which conducts regular reports on the streaming industry with analytics partner Arsenal.gg.

Twitch and YouTube still dominate the industry, though. Twitch commanded 61 percent of hours watched in December 2019, with YouTube maintaining another 28 percent of the market.
New tools might help Facebook chip away at Twitch and YouTube’s dominance.

Once people are live, streams will appear on their personal pages, making it easier for friends and followers to watch.

“People are watching streams and they’re like, ‘I want to be a streamer,’ and with Go Live it’s literally just a few clicks and then live, you’re a streamer,” Vivek Sharma, Facebook’s vice president for gaming, told the Times.
Click to expand...

The New York Times: Facebook to Introduce an App for Gaming

Video games are surging in popularity in the pandemic. So Facebook is rolling out an app designed for creating and watching live gameplay.
The app is designed largely for creating and watching live gameplay, a fast-growing online sector where Facebook is battling Amazon’s Twitch, Google’s YouTube and Microsoft’s Mixer services.
Click to expand...

guest · Jun 19, 2020

The company has plans to release the app for iOS devices once “Apple approves them.”
Click to expand...

Apple Rejects Facebook’s Gaming App, for at Least the Fifth Time
...citing its own rules
June 18, 2020
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/18/technology/apple-ios-facebook-gaming-app.html

Executives and engineers from Facebook’s games division submitted their new app, Facebook Gaming, to Apple last month for approval to offer it in the iPhone maker’s App Store.

Apple considered Facebook’s application for a few weeks. This month, it delivered its verdict: denied.
The Facebook team was not surprised. It wasn’t the first time Apple had said no to the Facebook Gaming app. Or the second. Or even the third.

Each time, the people said, Apple cited its rules that prohibit apps with the “main purpose” of distributing casual games.
Click to expand...

Apple’s rejections of the app from Facebook, a fellow Silicon Valley powerhouse, illustrate the control it exerts over the mobile software and entertainment ecosystem — clout that regulators are increasingly examining.
Apple, which will hold its annual developer conference next week, said the App Store has many apps that offer casual games and that follow its rules, including the main Facebook app.

The company is considering releasing Facebook Gaming on Apple devices without playable games at all, the people with knowledge of the social network said. Another option, they said, is continuing to make playable games even more difficult for users to find within the app.
Click to expand...

guest · Aug 7, 2020

Facebook slams Apple’s App Store policies, launches Facebook Gaming on iOS without games
Facebook is not happy with the months of rejections it has faced
August 7, 2020
https://www.theverge.com/2020/8/7/2...p-store-policies-comments-facebook-gaming-ios

The social media company is launching its Facebook Gaming app for iOS — primarily an app used to watch streamers play video games — but has had to remove the app’s mini games feature to pass Apple’s strict App Store approval process. Facebook isn’t happy about the compromise.

“Unfortunately, we had to remove gameplay functionality entirely in order to get Apple’s approval on the standalone Facebook Gaming app — meaning iOS users have an inferior experience to those using Android,” said Sheryl Sandberg, Facebook’s chief operating officer in a press statement given to The Verge.
Facebook says it has had the Facebook Gaming app rejected multiple times by Apple in recent months. The company says Apple has cited App Store guideline 4.7 to justify the rejections, claiming the primary purpose of the Facebook Gaming app is to play games.
Click to expand...

Facebook has now been forced to give up and remove games entirely from the standalone app launching on iOS today. The Facebook Gaming app is primarily used to watch streams of games, much like Twitch is used on both iOS and Android.
But on Android, the app also includes a number of mini games from Facebook’s Instant Games platform. That’s what Apple won’t allow.
Click to expand...

guest · Sep 3, 2022

Facebook is shutting down its standalone Gaming app in October
By Aisha Malik @aiishamalik1 - August 30, 2022

Just over two years after its launch, Facebook is shutting down the Facebook Gaming app on October 28, 2022. Now, when you open the app, you’ll see a banner stating that the app will no longer be available on iOS and Android after that date. The app also won’t be available on the Google Play Store or the Apple App Store.

“Despite this news, our mission to connect players, fans and creators with the games they love hasn’t changed, and you’ll still be able to find your games, streamers and groups when you visit Gaming in the Facebook app,” the notice reads.
“We want to extend our heartfelt thanks to all of you for everything that you’ve done to build a thriving community for gamers and fans since this app first launched.”
If you’ve been using the app, you can download your search data before the app is discontinued.
Click to expand...

It’s not entirely clear why Meta is choosing to shut down the app, but it’s possible that the company may provide some color on its decision in the future.

The announcement comes as Meta has been testing new services and killing off old ones.
Meta did not respond to TechCrunch’s request for comment.
Click to expand...

Log in or Sign up

Facebook is launching a dedicated gaming app to take on Twitch, YouTube

guest Guest

guest Guest

guest Guest

guest Guest

Log in or Sign up

Facebook is launching a dedicated gaming app to take on Twitch, YouTube

guest Guest

guest Guest

guest Guest

guest Guest

Useful Searches