Facebook has announced plans to release a new app focused on gaming, The New York Times has reported. The app was originally meant to be released in June, but has been pushed up, and will now be available on April 20 on Android phones.
The new app, Facebook Gaming, is aimed at the 700 million monthly Facebook users who have engaged with the network’s game content. The app will have a big focus on streamers, whether you’re watching them or streaming content yourself, thanks to a “Go Live” feature that will make it easy to stream mobile games. It will also let you play Facebook games like Words with Friends and Uno through the app.
The app will also allow users to access gaming communities and groups, so if you’re mostly using Facebook to keep up with your Animal Crossing turnip trading groups, it could be a good alternative to the main app. An iOS version will also be released at a later date once it has been approved by Apple.
According to Fidji Simo, who is quoted in the New York Times report and heads up the Facebook app, the social media giant is investing in gaming as they see it “as a form of entertainment that really connects people.” She adds: “It’s entertainment that’s not just a form of passive consumption but entertainment that is interactive and brings people together.”
The app will not feature advertising at launch, but will instead make money from a “star” system that lets viewers tip streamers, which Facebook will take a cut from. New monetization strategies will be rolled out in the future.
