Facebook has officially launched Facebook Gaming, a standalone game streaming platform that is aiming to take on YouTube and Twitch.
The app has now officially launched on Android, with an iOS counterpart expected in the not-too-distant future. Tackling Twitch, YouTube, and even Microsoft’s Mixer head-on will undoubtedly be a difficult task, but Facebook Gaming is set to offer a wider array of titles, and even includes a particular focus on mobile gaming.
Facebook told that the service will follow the now well-trodden paths of YouTube and Twitch, with the ability to create and watch streams of gamers around the planet. However, the “Go Live” feature will let Android users stream their favorite Android games directly from their devices, which will open up further titles than are currently offered through Facebook Gaming on desktop.
“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 . “It’s entertainment that’s not just a form of passive consumption but entertainment that is interactive and brings people together.”
The social network is looking to leverage the increased watch time seen as COVID-19 lockdown continues across the globe, with reporting that Facebook Gaming saw a 210% increase in hours watched between December 2018 and December 2019. According to , this is partially the reason that the launch was hurried forward from July 2020 to today.
To get started, you can download the app from today, April 20 on the Google Play Store.
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Author: Damien Wilde.
Source: 9TO5Google
