Video games have surged in popularity as countries around the world continue their lockdowns and quarantines. And tech companies are hoping to take advantage of this market. According to reports, Facebook will now be rolling out a gaming app solely designed for watching and creating live gameplay. Sound familiar? The Facebook gaming app will be released on Monday, April 20.
Read Also: SOLD OUT! Nintendo Switch is Now Sold Out Everywhere and Won't be Replenished Until May or June
Facebook to introduce gaming app to compete with Twitch, YouTube and Mixer
Facebook is now planning to launch the Facebook Gaming mobile application on Monday, April 20, which makes this the company's more decisive move when it comes to the video gaming business.
The app is completely free and will cap several years of Facebook's investment, having said that more than 700 million of its 2.5 billion monthly users have already been engaging with gaming content. The new app is designed for watching and creating live gameplay, competing with Amazon's Twitch, Microsoft's Mixer and Google's YouTube.
While everyone is forced to stay indoors during the coronavirus pandemic, the $160 billion global gaming industry is booming. Facebook wanted to release this app in June but due to COVID-19, it has now been expedited.
The release date has been accelerated
Fidji Simo, head of the Facebook app, told New York Times that "Investing in gaming, in general, has become a priority for us because we see gaming as a form of entertainment that really connects people. It's entertainment that's not just a form of passive consumption but entertainment that is interactive and brings people together. We're seeing a big rise in gaming during quarantine."
Simo has also added that the pandemic has forced the company to speed up other gaming projects as well including a new tournament feature.
Facebook has tested the app in Latin America and Southeast Asia over the last 18 months and they have been planning to release it on the Google Play Store for Android users and iOS versions will be rolled out once Apple decides to approve.
According to Vivek Sharma, Facebook's gaming vice president, "There are a lot of people who listen to music and say, 'I can imagine myself being a musician. People are watching streams and they're like, 'I want to be a streamer,' and with Go Live it's literally just a few clicks and then live, you're a streamer."
The company is now focusing on mobile and the new application for game streaming since the mobile experience is heavier than desktop viewing, Sharma added.
