#GameTechie

Facebook is killing off its Gaming app this year

But the company says its still focused on its game streaming platform.

by
Alex Gatewood
August 31, 2022

facebook on smartphone with facebook text in background

Image: Medium

Facebook is killing the Facebook Gaming app on iOS and Android later this year. The company recently shared a notice letting users know that the app will no longer work or be available for download starting on October 28.

The Facebook Gaming app came to mobile back in 2020, just a couple of years after Facebook launched its Gaming platform in 2018.

Facebook launched this service as a competitor to streaming platforms like Twitch and YouTube. Users who logged into the Facebook Gaming app would see various live streams they could hop in and watch.

Facebook Gaming even swallowed up Microsoft’s streaming platform, Mixer, after Mixer failed to grab the attention of livestream viewers. But nothing was enough to keep the Facebook Gaming mobile app going forward.

😬 pic.twitter.com/P6mDEFRheo
— Gothalion (@Gothalion) August 29, 2022

But this doesn’t mean that Facebook is abandoning Facebook Gaming. The web-based platform, facebook.gg, is still going strong.

You can still find gamers and streamers to watch through the regular Facebook app, as well, though you’ll likely have to do some searching.

YouTube is another live streaming platform that shut down its dedicated gaming app a while back. YouTube said its gaming app caused confusion among viewers.

The platform has since rolled its gaming section into the main app, keeping everything all together.

It’s unclear what Facebook’s exact reason is for shutting down the Facebook Gaming mobile app. But it seems like the platform is still dedicated to its gaming section.

I wouldn’t be surprised to see an update to the Facebook app that makes its game streaming sections more accessible for everyday users.

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