Facebook announced today that it is introducing a tab dedicated to “Facebook Games” to help players find the content they are looking for on the platform. The tab will be available in the main navigation bar in the Facebook application. The show is having a slow release, starting with a portion of the 700 million people Facebook claims to interact with game content each month. The navigation option will begin to appear for more players on Facebook over time.
Within the Facebook Games tab, users will be able to find three main types of game content. The first and most important are the games you can play. Facebook is moving Instant Games, previously available in Groups, to Facebook Games, and users can invite friends to play and chat with them directly from the tab. Facebook Gaming will also host game videos, with content from leagues and developers of esports to broadcasts in real time. Over time, Facebook plans to recommend videos based on the games they like and have expressed interest in. Finally, the new tab will open at home for game groups. Users can connect with other players and talk about their favorite titles, either to organize a moment to connect and play or to find local meetings.
In addition to giving Facebook Gaming its own tab, the company has also been experimenting with turning the hub into a stand-alone application. There is a limited beta version available for Android, and Facebook said it will continue to test and expand the application based on user feedback.
Facebook has increased its push towards games in the last year or so. Last year, the social networking giant launched a dedicated portal to host broadcast content in an attempt to confront Twitch, and has tried to attract players to the platform by organizing events with popular broadcasters. Twitch and YouTube still dominate, but if Facebook can get the 700 million players who say they are active on their platform to take Facebook Gaming, the social network may be able to make a place in the gaming landscape.
Source: Facebook