The short answer is yes, the Facebook Gaming app still works as of October 2023. Facebook Gaming was launched in 2018 as a dedicated mobile app for streaming and watching live gameplay. It allows users to watch and stream themselves playing games, similar to Twitch or YouTube Gaming.
While Facebook Gaming may not be as popular as Twitch or YouTube Gaming, the app remains active and functional. Millions of people continue to use Facebook Gaming to stream and spectate live games on mobile devices and Facebook.com. The app continues to be updated and supported by Facebook.
What is the Facebook Gaming app?
The Facebook Gaming app is a free mobile app created by Facebook to focus specifically on streaming and watching live gameplay. Key features of the Facebook Gaming app include:
- Watching streams of live gameplay from other gamers
- Streaming mobile gameplay directly from your phone
- Interacting with streamers and other viewers via chat
- Following gaming creators and being notified when they go live
- Gaming groups and communities
- Gaming video on demand (VOD) content
The app provides tools and features tailored for gaming content, separating it from Facebook’s mainstream app. While not as large as rival platforms, Facebook Gaming provides another option for mobile gameplay streaming and spectating.
History and adoption of Facebook Gaming app
Facebook Gaming was initially released in mid 2018, first in Latin America and Southeast Asia. The app later expanded to the US and Europe in 2020.
While the app has tens of millions of downloads, its monthly active users are modest compared to giants like Twitch and YouTube. Recent estimates put Facebook Gaming’s MAU at around 20 million globally.
The app has not quite taken off as Facebook likely hoped. But it continues to retain an active user base of gamers who enjoy the app’s tools for streaming mobile games.
Does the Facebook Gaming app still work in 2023?
Yes, the Facebook Gaming app remains fully functional and usable in October 2023. The app is still downloadable on iOS and Android devices.
Users can open the Facebook Gaming app to:
- Watch live streams from other gamers
- Start streaming their own mobile gameplay
- Interact with streamers and viewers in chat
- Browse gaming video on demand (VOD) content
- Join gaming groups and communities
The core features and functionality of Facebook Gaming continue to work on mobile as intended. Live streaming, spectating, chatting, and following gamers are all operational.
Recent updates and support
While not the main focus for Facebook, the company does continue to provide support and updates for the Facebook Gaming app up to late 2023:
- October 2022 – Added support for Hindi language and several features for Indian gamers.
- September 2022 – Rolled out the ability for streamers to add tags to their streams.
- August 2022 – Added new categories for gaming videos on demand (VOD).
- June 2022 – Improved reliability of going live and streaming.
So while not heavily promoted these days, the Facebook Gaming app does still receive intermittent updates and improvements by Facebook. This confirms the app remains active and supported.
Is Facebook Gaming a viable platform for streamers?
Facebook Gaming has a long way to go before catching up to Twitch and YouTube Gaming in viewership. But it can still be viable for some game streamers. Advantages of Facebook Gaming include:
- Lower barriers to entry – Easier to build an audience as a newcomer.
- Mobile focused – Good for streaming mobile games.
- Existing Facebook users – Potential audience from FB friends and followers.
- Revenue sharing – Streamers can earn money from their streams.
For casual or part-time streamers, these benefits make Facebook Gaming a potentially worthwhile platform. It likely will not provide a substantial income for most, but provides another outlet to share gaming content.
The small streamer community also fosters connections with viewers. But for professional or full-time streamers, platforms like Twitch and YouTube Gaming remain more lucrative due to higher viewership and subscription revenue potential.
Streaming on Facebook Gaming
Streaming gameplay on Facebook Gaming functions similar to other services:
- Mobile streaming – Stream directly from the Facebook Gaming app on your phone.
- PC streaming – Use a capture card and streaming software like OBS Studio.
- Cross-stream to Facebook from Twitch or YouTube.
- Interact with viewers in real-time chat.
- Monetize with ad revenue sharing from Facebook based on views.
With Facebook Gaming’s focus on mobile gameplay, it can be easier to start streaming from your Android or iOS device. But PC streaming with higher production quality remains an option too.
Conclusion
While not as prominent as Twitch or YouTube Gaming, the Facebook Gaming app does still remain active and usable in late 2023. For mobile game streamers and casual streamers, it continues to offer tools for reaching an audience and potentially earning revenue.
Facebook provides occasional updates showing continued support for the app. And with tens of millions of downloads, a niche community of gamers use Facebook Gaming to stream and watch live gameplay. So while adoption has underwhelmed, the app remains functional for those who enjoy Facebook’s gaming ecosystem.