Meta To Shutter Facebook Gaming App

Meta has informed Android and iOS users that it will be closing down its Facebook Gaming App later this year.

It was back in April 2020, just as the Coronavirus pandemic was taking hold of the world, that Meta rushed the launch of a gaming stream app, known as the ‘Facebook Gaming App’.

The app arrived first for Android, and then iOS, and essentially allowed users to follow high-profile gamers, watch live gaming streams and leave comments, without having to interact with the rest of Facebook.

Game streaming

The app also allows gamers to broadcast their own smartphone screen to followers, and was designed to profit from the boom in both playing and watching video games, by millions of people house-bound during Covid-19 lockdowns.

But the Facebook Gaming app was competing against two much bigger rivals, namely Amazon-owned Twitch and Alphabet’s YouTube.

Indeed a report from Streamlabs, in the second quarter of 2022 found that Facebook Gaming accounted for only 7.9 percent of the market share for amount of hours watched, behind Twitch (76.7 percent) and YouTube (15.4 percent).

Meta alerted people of the eventual closure of the Facebook Gaming app in a notice sent to its users.

The notice said that starting 28 October, Facebook Gaming will no longer be available on iOS and Android.

However gaming features will continue to be accessible via the main Facebook app.

“We want to extend our heartfelt thanks to all of you for everything that you’ve done to build a thriving community for gamers and fans since this app first launched,” the company said.

“This was truly a community-led effort to bring new gaming features to Facebook,” it added.

“Despite this news, our mission to connect players, fans and creators with the games they love hasn’t changed, and you’ll still be able to find your games, streamers and groups when you visit Gaming in the Facebook app.”

Microsoft presence

Meta is not alone is closing down its gaming app.

In 2020, Microsoft shuttered its own streaming service, Mixer.

Click here to read Silicon UK’s Tales in Tech History piece about Microsoft’s gaming adventure.

Despite that, Redmond still remains a notable player in the gaming sector thanks to its Xbox franchise.

And in January this year, Microsoft announced it would acquire the Call Of Duty, World of Warcraft, and Starcraft powerhouse, Activision Blizzard in an all-cash transaction valued at $68.7 billion.

That acquisition will give Microsoft access to a huge library of classic games that span the Playstation, Xbox and PC platforms.