Facebook Gaming may not be as popular as Twitch or YouTube Gaming in terms of streaming, but the social network is steadily adding interactive features to broaden its appeal.
Facebook is experimenting with a new layer of interactivity called “play with streamer,” which allows viewers to join game streams with their favorite streamers. The company is promoting the feature with the release of Pac-Man Community, a modernized version of the classic that includes multiplayer, user-generated mazes, and viewer interactivity in the hopes of capturing some of the magic of Twitch Plays Pokémon.
Viewers can click a button to open the game directly and join in multiplayer mode for games that have the feature enabled. For the time being, the game selection is limited to the new Pac-Man game and Worlds FRVR, a Minecraft clone that quietly added the feature in August.
Streamers have control over who gets the privilege and can give it out as a perk to their most loyal fans, making it an important tool for creators who want to build and connect with gaming communities.
Facebook Gaming currently gives 100 percent of revenue to creators to make itself appealing as a hub friendly to emerging streamers, but if that deal sounds too good to be true, it is: the offer expires in 2022.
Facebook added a co-streaming feature in October, allowing creators to collaborate and stream at the same time. It’s a feature that Twitch has had since 2019 in the form of “Squad Stream,” and it’s critical for the development of a thriving streaming ecosystem.
Since the launch of FarmVille, Facebook has been home to a slew of casual games that bear little resemblance to Twitch’s most popular titles. While Facebook Gaming also shows streams from games like Fortnite and Call of Duty, the platform’s focus on mobile-friendly HTML5 games may give it a unique appeal beyond hardcore gamers. As streaming becomes more mainstream, it may attract new viewers who would not otherwise find themselves on Twitch.
Twitch continues to command the majority of streaming hours watched. By the end of 2020, the platform would have accounted for 66% of all hours watched, with YouTube Gaming coming in second with 23% and Facebook coming in third with 11%. However, the latter two platforms are gaining traction: in 2020, Facebook Gaming’s number of streaming hours watched tripled compared to the previous year, and YouTube’s numbers doubled.