The Facebook gaming app is shutting down
Facebook announces it will soon be shutting down the Facebook Gaming app, ending its dedicated live streaming hub.
Two years ago, Facebook threw his hat into the video game streaming ring with the launch of his Facebook gaming app. With the growing popularity of streaming, fueled by the early pandemic lockdowns at the time, Facebook saw an opportunity to offer live streamers and viewers a platform to rival Twitch and YouTube. Now, however, Facebook Gaming may be on its way out as a dedicated platform, as it has been confirmed that the app will be shut down in a few months.
News of this development was shared in an update to the app that has started making the rounds on social media. The update confirms that the Facebook gaming app will shut down on October 28, just two and a half years after it launched. After that, the app will no longer be available for iOS and Android, so Facebook advises users to download all search data while they still can.
Although the app is shutting down, Facebook isn’t anticipating live streaming. The update states that all of the platform’s streaming content will be available in the gaming section of the regular Facebook app. Non-mobile users, meanwhile, can still access the web-based version of Facebook Gaming after the shutdown.
One thing the update doesn’t mention is the reason for the app closing, although that might not be hard to guess. Although Facebook Gaming has gone to great lengths to become a competitor in the streaming market, it hasn’t had much luck in that regard. A recent report by research firm Streamlabs states that in the second quarter of 2022, only 7.9% of all watched hours were on Facebook, versus 76.7% and 15.4% on Twitch and YouTube, respectively. With Facebook’s parent company Meta reporting huge losses last quarter, it’s possible it may decide to cut costs where it can.
It’s too early to tell if this indicates Facebook Gaming will eventually shut down entirely, although it wouldn’t be the first time something like this has happened. The same year that Facebook launched its gaming app, Microsoft shut down its streaming service Mixer, ending a four-year run supported by exclusive partnerships with popular streamers like Ninja and Shroud. Mixer was eventually incorporated into Facebook Gaming when Microsoft partnered with the platform.
Despite all the setbacks, Facebook and Meta continue to invest in games, particularly with the Meta Quest line of VR headsets. The next Meta Quest headset is slated to launch in October and will be able to track users’ eye movements and facial expressions in addition to hand and head positions.
Source: Streamlabs
https://gamerant.com/facebook-gaming-app-shutting-down/ The Facebook gaming app is shutting down
