Facebook Gaming has become an increasingly popular platform for watching and streaming games in recent years. With over 700 million people already using Facebook each month, integrating gaming content into the platform provides a huge potential audience. This raises the question – is there an official Facebook Gaming app that makes it easy to access Facebook gaming content on mobile devices?
The Facebook Gaming app
Yes, there is an official Facebook Gaming app available for both iOS and Android. The app launched in 2020 to provide a dedicated place for Facebook gaming content separate from the main Facebook app. Here are some key things to know about the Facebook Gaming app:
- Allows watching and streaming games
- Shows recommendations based on gaming interests
- Has sections for browsing popular games, streams, and creators
- Includes gameplay clips, trailers, and fan videos
- Provides notifications when followed creators go live
The Facebook Gaming app provides quick access to gaming content in a format optimized for mobile users. It aims to make it easier to discover and engage with gaming streams and videos on the go.
Differences from the main Facebook app
The Facebook Gaming app has some notable differences from the main Facebook app:
| Facebook Gaming App | Main Facebook App |
|---|---|
| Focused solely on gaming content | Contains all types of content |
| Streamlined interface for games | General social media interface |
| Features gaming-centric recommendations | Shows recommendations based on broader interests |
While you can access some gaming content through the main Facebook app, the Facebook Gaming app provides a more immersive and interactive experience tailored specifically to games.
Emphasis on games
The most obvious difference is that the Facebook Gaming app is focused exclusively on game-related content. The main Facebook app contains many other types of content like news, events, groups, marketplace listings, and ads alongside some games content.
The Facebook Gaming app foregrounds games and removes the other types of content. This makes it easier to find and engage with gaming content without getting distracted.
Streamlined design
Along with the narrow focus on games, the Facebook Gaming app also has a streamlined interface optimized for gaming interaction. The layout, menus, and controls are designed specifically for discovering and watching game livestreams, rather than a general social media experience.
For example, the Facebook Gaming app makes it very easy to start livestreaming gameplay from your mobile device. There are also options to share gameplay clips and follow favorite streamers.
Personalized recommendations
The Facebook Gaming app also provides personalized recommendations based on your gaming interests and activity. The main Facebook app algorithm shows content based on your overall profile and engagement across many topics.
But in the Facebook Gaming app, the recommendations will focus on suggesting game streams, videos, and groups that match your gaming preferences. This helps users discover new gaming content that aligns with the types of games they like to play and watch.
Key features
Some of the key features available in the Facebook Gaming app include:
Watching livestreams
The central focus of the app is watching gaming livestreams from creators streaming through Facebook. You can browse recommended livestreams or search for specific games, creators, or titles to find live content to watch.
Gameplay clips and videos
In addition to livestreaming, you can also watch pre-recorded gameplay clips and compilation videos uploaded by creators and fans. The app makes it easy to share exciting gaming moments and watch trending gaming content.
Creator subscriptions
You can subscribe to favorite creators for a monthly fee to gain access to exclusive streams, content, and communities. Subscriptions provide a direct way to support creators on Facebook Gaming.
Gaming groups
Join fan groups for popular games to connect with other players, share gaming content, and get the latest news about your favorite titles.
Gameplay streaming
If you want to become a creator yourself, the app allows streaming mobile gameplay live to Facebook from your phone or tablet. This provides an easy way for aspiring creators to get started building their gaming audience.
AR mini-games
The app includes some basic AR mini-games that use augmented reality technology to project gameplay onto real-world surfaces and environments using your device’s camera.
Differences from Twitch and YouTube Gaming
The Facebook Gaming app competes with other major players in the game streaming space like Twitch and YouTube Gaming. Here is how it compares:
| Facebook Gaming | Twitch | YouTube Gaming | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Primary platform | Twitch | YouTube | |
| Content focus | Gaming only | Mostly gaming | All types + gaming |
| Audience | 700M Facebook users | 31M monthly active users | Over 2 billion YouTube users |
| Revenue splits | 100% for first $10k/year, then 70% | 50% subscription revenue, bits vary | 55% of Super Chat, 70% for memberships |
The built-in Facebook Gaming audience gives it a headstart, though it has fewer tools and gamer-centric features than mature platforms like Twitch. But the app provides a solid option for casual gaming streamers to leverage Facebook’s massive built-in user base.
Reception and userbase
Since its launch in 2020, the Facebook Gaming app has received decent but not exceptional reviews from users. Here is a snapshot of its reception:
- iOS App Store rating: 4.6 out of 5 stars
- Number of iOS App Store ratings: over 275,000 worldwide
- Google Play Store rating: 4.0 out of 5 stars
- Number of Google Play Store ratings: over 560,000 worldwide
These solid ratings indicate the app provides a good user experience, even if the gaming focus isn’t for everyone. However, Facebook has not disclosed the total number of monthly active users specifically for Facebook Gaming.
For context, here are the public user numbers for competitors:
- Twitch has 31 million monthly active users as of Q4 2022
- YouTube Gaming has over 350 million monthly active users as of Q3 2022
While the total audience size is unclear, Facebook Gaming has managed to attract some popular creators who stream exclusively or primarily through its platform.
Top Facebook Gaming creators
Here are some of the top gaming creators on Facebook Gaming based on follower counts:
| Creator | Followers |
|---|---|
| Corinna Kopf | 9.7 million |
| StoneMountain64 | 6.7 million |
| TheFamer | 6.5 million |
| JUGs | 5.6 million |
| PlasticFoods | 5.2 million |
These top creators help drive viewership and content on the platform. Facebook Gaming has managed to attract some creators away from Twitch by offering perks like 100% revenue share for subscriptions.
Conclusion
The Facebook Gaming app provides a solid dedicated home for gaming content within the broader Facebook ecosystem. For casual gamers, it offers an easy entrypoint into watching and streaming games directly on mobile devices.
While it lacks some of the tools and maturity of competitors like Twitch, leveraging Facebook’s massive built-in user base gives the app a big headstart. As gaming content continues growing in popularity, the Facebook Gaming app aims to capitalize by focusing specifically on serving gamers.
The app manages to carve out a niche that differentiates itself from both the main Facebook app experience as well as competing gaming platforms. It delivers core gaming features aligned with consumer expectations in the mobile streaming space. While not yet matching the dominance of YouTube Gaming or Twitch, the Facebook Gaming app establishes the company as a real player in the game streaming wars.