Facebook continues to grow in the gaming market and with all the attraction that gaming has been getting during the COVID-19 pandemic, it is launching a gaming app for Android and iOS. The app will come with dozens of gaming content, groups and play options.
Through the App, users will be able to watch gaming videos, play instant games anytime, and connect with gaming groups. Sounds interesting right?
Facebook has been testing this app for some time now in Latin America and Southeast Asia. Given the popularity of gaming during the coronavirus lockdown, it makes sense that it is pushing it forward now.
Facebook has been busy with gaming tools and products over the past few years that include its live-stream tipping for gamers and stream via desktop option. Facebook has also introduced a tournament creation option to accommodate gaming events within the app.
And the efforts are yielding results, at the end of last year, Facebook had a 210% YoY increase in hours spent on Facebook gaming which gave a boost in its market shares by 8.5% according to StreamElements.
With the popularity of gaming content, it is important that Facebook stays connected with it. Facebook's efforts in this regard, has been fruitful as it has been getting more community response lately.
According to Facebook's Fidji Simo:
“Investing in gaming, in general, has become a priority for us because we see gaming as a form of entertainment that really connects people. It’s entertainment that’s not just a form of passive consumption but entertainment that is interactive and brings people together.”
So, you can expect to see more of this in the future. Facebook is also seeking to expand its VR tools to gaming, which will be quite interesting to see.an
