Facebook sets its sights on Twitch with game streaming app

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Facebook has announced plans to launch a new game streaming app which is expected to hit later today on mobile.

The app, which naturally will be called Facebook Gaming, hopes to harness the power of Facebook’s 700 million monthly users who engage with game content on the website, according to a report by The New York Times.

Facebook Gaming will initially only be available on Android devices, with an app for iOS rolling out down the line.

Originally expected to hit later this June, the app’s release was pushed forward as a result of the global pandemic which has caused a rise in the number of users gaming and streaming at home.

“Investing in gaming in general has become a priority for us because we see gaming as a form of entertainment that really connects people,” Facebook exec Fidji Simo told the publication. “We’re seeing a big rise in gaming during quarantine.”


The app won’t include advertising at launch. Rather, it will make its money from a “star system” that allows viewers to tip streamers – out of which Facebook will take a cut.

“We don’t want to be the background window in a Chrome tab while someone is doing their homework or doing something else,” Facebook’s Vivek Sharma adds. “With mobile, if you have the app open and you’re using the app, it’s in the foreground. You can’t do anything else on your mobile phone, and that is extremely powerful.”


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Related Forum: Gaming Discussion

Source: https://www.vg247.com/2020/04/20/facebook-game-streaming-app-twitch/

Comments

"Facebook sets its sights on Twitch with game streaming app" :: Login/Create an Account :: 11 comments

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GossipPosted:

Look at Facebook facebooking. They wanna be apart of everything but unfortunately for them Twitch will always be the top.

CentPosted:

MushroomElm
THQ
Cent
Hux
Cent I know facebook is big and all but haven't they learned not to really mess with twitch? I mean if people really think any other streaming platform compares to them they're wrong. Good luck to them and only cause they have corinna and she is hot as hell.

What about Mixer? Everybody thought the same with Mixer until some of the biggest streamers moved to them.


Mixer still doesn't compete with twitch lets be honest. They may have ninja and some other "big" names but they really don't have nearly as many as twitch does.


Mixer will end up being bankrupted is my theory, the only reason they are so large is paying streamers to join them, those streamers had larger audiences on twitch and lost viewers for more money. I don't see it lasting out compared to twitch


Microsoft owns Mixer. I don't Mixer won't be going under publicly any time soon, because they have the money to keep fueling it as long as they wait out the long game to make it profitable. They are likely hoping that bringing all the big names they have bought out will increase viewership and, down the line, produce their own big names that retain viewership themselves as more and more people flock to their site.

As for Facebook, it'll be the same idea I'm willing to bet. They'll try and pay some decently well known streamers to come to their platform and hope their large user base that likes video games would be willing to stop using Twitch and watch on them instead.


That is probably true but will it be successful? I don't think so. I think as much as Ninja likes the money he misses his viewers. No one wants to go to mixer to watch someone if they have always watched him on twitch meaning they probably watch everyone else there as well. I assume once his contract is up he will be returning to twitch.

IntPosted:

No streaming platform will or ever compare to Twitch unfortunately, I'd not go down that route if I was FB.

MushroomElmPosted:

THQ
Cent
Hux
Cent I know facebook is big and all but haven't they learned not to really mess with twitch? I mean if people really think any other streaming platform compares to them they're wrong. Good luck to them and only cause they have corinna and she is hot as hell.

What about Mixer? Everybody thought the same with Mixer until some of the biggest streamers moved to them.


Mixer still doesn't compete with twitch lets be honest. They may have ninja and some other "big" names but they really don't have nearly as many as twitch does.


Mixer will end up being bankrupted is my theory, the only reason they are so large is paying streamers to join them, those streamers had larger audiences on twitch and lost viewers for more money. I don't see it lasting out compared to twitch


Microsoft owns Mixer. I don't Mixer won't be going under publicly any time soon, because they have the money to keep fueling it as long as they wait out the long game to make it profitable. They are likely hoping that bringing all the big names they have bought out will increase viewership and, down the line, produce their own big names that retain viewership themselves as more and more people flock to their site.

As for Facebook, it'll be the same idea I'm willing to bet. They'll try and pay some decently well known streamers to come to their platform and hope their large user base that likes video games would be willing to stop using Twitch and watch on them instead.

9ntyPosted:

I guess Facebook thought the streaming platform didn't work out so it's nice for Facebook to update their website with a new layout for streaming but I don't think Facebook is n the same shoes with Twitch. Facebook viewage is completely different compared to Twitch.

THQPosted:

Cent
Hux
Cent I know facebook is big and all but haven't they learned not to really mess with twitch? I mean if people really think any other streaming platform compares to them they're wrong. Good luck to them and only cause they have corinna and she is hot as hell.

What about Mixer? Everybody thought the same with Mixer until some of the biggest streamers moved to them.


Mixer still doesn't compete with twitch lets be honest. They may have ninja and some other "big" names but they really don't have nearly as many as twitch does.


Mixer will end up being bankrupted is my theory, the only reason they are so large is paying streamers to join them, those streamers had larger audiences on twitch and lost viewers for more money. I don't see it lasting out compared to twitch

CentPosted:

Hux
Cent I know facebook is big and all but haven't they learned not to really mess with twitch? I mean if people really think any other streaming platform compares to them they're wrong. Good luck to them and only cause they have corinna and she is hot as hell.

What about Mixer? Everybody thought the same with Mixer until some of the biggest streamers moved to them.


Mixer still doesn't compete with twitch lets be honest. They may have ninja and some other "big" names but they really don't have nearly as many as twitch does.

HuxPosted:

Cent I know facebook is big and all but haven't they learned not to really mess with twitch? I mean if people really think any other streaming platform compares to them they're wrong. Good luck to them and only cause they have corinna and she is hot as hell.

What about Mixer? Everybody thought the same with Mixer until some of the biggest streamers moved to them.

CentPosted:

Lgnd I can't wait to see how this turns out! Facebook is the most popular social media, hopefully this works and doesn't fail.


Their streaming side isn't as great though. Unless they start handing out fat contracts to the bigger twitch streamers I don't see this lasting very long.

LgndPosted:

I can't wait to see how this turns out! Facebook is the most popular social media, hopefully this works and doesn't fail.