Facebook Gameroom, the desktop PC gaming platform that Facebook launched back in 2016, is officially retiring on June 30, 2022. This announcement from Facebook marks the end of the road for a service that once aimed to bring PC gaming into the Facebook ecosystem but has struggled to gain significant traction or adoption over the past 6 years.
What is Facebook Gameroom?
Facebook Gameroom was a desktop PC app launched by Facebook in 2016 that allowed gamers to play casual games natively on PC. The app curated a collection of popular casual titles like Words With Friends, Asphalt 8, and Solitaire, while also giving developers tools to integrate Facebook features into their games. This included capabilities like leaderboards, achievements, and easy sharing to Facebook timelines.
The goal was to make casual PC gaming more social and connected to the Facebook experience. While normal PC game stores like Steam or Battle.net required gamers to connect outside of Facebook, Gameroom games had Facebook integration built-in. Gamers could see what games their friends were playing, message each other, and share progress and achievements to their timelines and news feeds.
Major Features of Facebook Gameroom
- Curated collection of popular casual and indie games
- Built-in Facebook integration for leaderboards, achievements, friend finding, etc.
- Gifting and account syncing between Facebook Gameroom and mobile games
- Facebook Game Developers toolkit for adding social features
- Free-to-play monetization options for developers
Why did Facebook launch Gameroom?
Facebook launched Gameroom in 2016 as part of a broader push into PC gaming and esports. Although Facebook saw massive usage through mobile, PC gaming remained dominated by established players like Steam and Battle.net. Gameroom represented Facebook’s attempt to leverage its massive user base to disrupt the PC gaming market as well.
The company saw an opportunity to carry over what made games successful on mobile and Facebook onto the desktop PC platform. Features like social competition, connectivity with friends, and frictionless free-to-play experiences were core strengths of Facebook games. Gameroom aimed to bring those same experiences to casual PC titles as well.
On top of user acquisition, Facebook likely also saw the move as a play for attracting developers. Offering developers tools and capabilities for integrating Facebook features into PC titles could incentivize them to support the platform over alternatives.
Goals Facebook Had for Gameroom
- Compete in the PC gaming market dominated by Steam and Battle.net
- Leverage Facebook’s strengths like social connectivity and competition
- Acquire casual PC gamers from Facebook’s massive user base
- Attract developers by offering Facebook integration tools
- Extend Facebook’s footprint beyond just mobile gaming
What games were available on Facebook Gameroom?
Facebook Gameroom sported a collection of popular casual and indie games across genres like puzzles, board games, tower defense, and more. The list of available titles changed over time as developers added and removed support for the platform. Some highlighted games included:
| Game Title | Genre |
|---|---|
| Words with Friends 2 | Puzzle |
| Tower Defense | Strategy |
| Everwing | Arcade |
| Solitaire | Card |
| Stranger Things: The Game | Adventure |
In total, Facebook claimed about 300 games were available on Gameroom prior to the shutdown announcement. The library primarily focused on fast, social, and more casual gaming experiences compared to in-depth PC titles.
Notable Exclusives
While most games on Gameroom were available on other platforms too, Facebook secured some temporary exclusives over the years including:
- Battlestar Galactica Online – Space strategy MMO
- Rogue Wizards – Roguelike RPG hybrid
- Crypt of the NecroDancer – Rhythm-based dungeon crawler
- Splashy Fish – Physics based puzzle game
How popular was Facebook Gameroom?
Despite Facebook’s ambitions, Gameroom failed to gain significant traction among PC gamers with the platform remaining niche since its launch. While Facebook boasted 60 million monthly users shortly after launch, that figure likely declined sharply as the service reduced operations in recent years.
For context, competing services see tremendously higher usage with Steam reporting over 120 million monthly active users as of 2019. Battle.net also sees millions of monthly active users across Blizzard games like Overwatch, World of Warcraft, and Hearthstone.
Part of this lack of adoption stems from Gameroom’s more limited games catalog of mostly casual titles. PC gamers flocked to platforms offering popular AAA big-budget games and deep libraries across genres and niches.
User Base and Engagement
- Peak MAU: ~60 million shortly after launch
- MAU prior to shutdown: Likely under 10 million
- Daily time spent per user: Less than 30 minutes
- Low engagement and retention compared to alternatives
Why did Facebook Gameroom fail to gain adoption?
Facebook Gameroom’s lack of success can be traced back to a few key factors that limited adoption and engagement among PC gamers:
Limited Games Catalog
Gameroom primarily focused on casual and indie titles rather than the immersive AAA games core PC gamers flock to. The catalog lacked many popular esports titles as well. This narrowed the appeal of the platform greatly compared to the thousands of games offered on Steam and Battle.net.
Low Cross-Platform Support
Unlike competitors, Gameroom had no support for mobile or consoles. PC gamers expect services to offer cross-platform support and unified friends lists and profiles across devices. Gameroom’s siloed desktop experience limited this crucial feature.
Facebook Branding Turnoff
The Facebook branding likely deterred some core gamers as well. PC gaming spaces often foster strong community identities and tribalism. Associating with the Facebook brand known for casual social media engagement rather than serious gaming likely hampered adoption.
Lack of Exclusive Value
Gameroom also lacked killer exclusive features or content compared to other platforms. Besides some exclusive games, most titles and core features were available through other services. This made adopting yet another library and app unnecessary for many gamers.
How did Facebook scale back Gameroom in recent years?
With Gameroom failing to achieve significant growth and engagement, Facebook began scaling back support and resources for the platform over the past couple years. This steady wind down process preceded the final shutdown announcement.
In 2020, Facebook closed first-party development of games for Gameroom. They had acquired several studios to build exclusive games for the platform. Shutting down these internal teams signaled a major shift away from investing in the service.
In 2021, Facebook discontinued Gameroom’s macOS support. This demonstrated another pullback in resources and limiting the platform to just Windows PCs.
Finally in May 2022, Facebook announced they would be fully shutting down Gameroom on June 30, 2022. They cited the service no longer making sense for where they wanted to focus resources and development efforts.
Timeline of Changes
| Date | Scale Back Action |
|---|---|
| 2020 | Closed 1st party game studios |
| 2021 | Ended macOS support |
| May 2022 | Announced service shutdown |
| June 30, 2022 | Official shutdown |
What will happen when Gameroom shuts down?
With the official shutdown scheduled for June 30, 2022, Gameroom will close down all services and access to the platform on that date. This will have a few key effects:
Library Access Ends
Gamers will no longer be able to access or play any games in their Gameroom library after the shutdown. Any games and in-game purchases will be inaccessible.
Social Features Disabled
All of Gameroom’s social features like friends, profiles, achievements, and leaderboards will be discontinued. Games will lose this Facebook integration.
Developer Support Stops
Facebook will end developer access to the Gameroom SDK and remove documentation and capabilities for integrating Facebook features into these titles on PC.
Refunds and Account Transfers
Facebook has promised refunds for recent in-app purchases and allowing users to transfer game progress and purchases to other platforms if available. However, support will be limited.
Why did Facebook decide to shut down Gameroom?
Facebook provided some high-level reasoning for deciding to officially end support for Gameroom after 6 years. A few factors likely influenced the shutdown decision:
Lack of Adoption and Usage
The overall lack of significant adoption by PC gamers was likely the core driver in shutting down Gameroom. Despiteuser bases in the tens of millions, it failed to compete with gamingjuggernauts like Steam and Battle.net.
Shift in Company Priorities
Facebook has been refocusing priorities across virtual reality, metaverse platforms, short form video, and other emerging spaces. Gameroom likely no longer made sense with where Facebook wants to direct resources.
Increasing Competition
Even as Facebook scaled back Gameroom, the PC gaming market saw increasing competition from new entrants like the Epic Games Store. The barriers to entry remained high despite Facebook’s efforts.
Limited Strategic Value
While Gameroom helped bring some casual PC gamers into the Facebook ecosystem, the overall strategic value was likely marginal. The shutdown signals these users and dev relationships weren’t worth continued investment.
What does Gameroom’s shutdown signal for the future of cloud gaming?
While Facebook’s Gameroom misses the mark, the overall cloud gaming industry continues evolving at a rapid pace. Other major players still see a future in this space. What does Gameroom’s failure signal about challenges and opportunities?
Importance of Robust Content Libraries
Gameroom’s limited title selection couldn’t compete with established players. Deep libraries with both major hits and niche selections remain crucial for cloud gaming services to succeed.
Cross-Platform Experiences Have More Value
Supporting PCs, consoles, and mobile is now table stakes. Gamers expect continuity across devices from any gaming service.
Big Tech Brands Aren’t a Guarantee
Facebook couldn’t force Gameroom’s success based on brand power alone. Compelling service design beats branding for gaming services.
Monetization and Developer Relations Still Developing
Figuring out sustainable free-to-play models and attracting developers to new platforms remains an evolving challenge in cloud gaming.
Could Facebook resurrect PC gaming efforts in the future?
While the Gameroom shutdown seems definitive, Facebook could decide to take another shot at PC gaming down the road. A few factors that could contribute to revisiting the space:
Cloud Streaming Technology Improves
If remote cloud streaming matures to support more robust AAA games, Facebook may want back in the mix.
Acquiring an Established Player
Facebook could acquire a proven PC gaming platform and leverage integration with Facebook’s social tools.
Metaverse Ambitions
As Facebook pursues metaverse spaces, having an interactive gaming presence could align with longer term convergence plans.
Shifting Priorities
If Facebook sees strategic value shift back to owning a core PC gaming platform, they have the resources to relaunch an improved experience.
Conclusion
While Gameroom failed to achieve Facebook’s grand ambitions to compete in the PC gaming market, it served as an interesting experiment and learning opportunity. Their inability to disrupt established players like Steam and Battle.net despite Facebook’s massive resources and user base reaffirms just how dominant the leaders in the PC gaming space remain.
However, this is unlikely to be the end for Facebook and gaming. As cloud streaming matures and metaverse priorities evolve, Facebook may find renewed opportunities to leverage its strengths in social connections and communities around interactive gaming experiences. But for now, Gameroom will serve as a cautionary tale on the challenges of breaking into an extremely competitive space dominated by platforms with strong user loyalty.