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Facebook Launches New Gaming App to Challenge Twitch, YouTube

Published

4 years ago

April 21, 2020

facebook launches new gaming app to challenge twitch youtube

With Facebook gaining momentum in the gaming market, The Social Network is looking to tap into the rising popularity of gaming during the COVID-19 pandemic with the launch of a new, dedicated Facebook Gaming app which incorporates gaming content, play options and groups.

The app will initially be available in Android, with iOS to follow soon.

As you can see above, Facbook Gaming has three key elements:

Watch – This is where streamers call home. Plus, discover new videos from the biggest esports and gaming’s top publishers. On Facebook Gaming, there’s a whole world of gaming waiting for you to tune in.
Play – Play instant games anytime, anywhere, without having to download. Because when you want to play, nothing should stop you.
Connect – We have gaming groups for everyone, and new ones are starting up every day.

Facebook’s been testing the app in Southeast Asia and Latin America over the last 18 months, and as noted, with the popularity of gaming on the rise during the coronavirus lockdowns, it’s now taking it to the next stage of deployment.

But at the same time, this is not a sudden advancement in Facebook’s broader gaming ambitions.

Over the last few years, Facebook has launched a range of game-related tools and products, including live-stream tipping for gamers, and the capacity to easily stream via desktop overlaid onto gameplay footage. Facebook also recently launched a new, simplified tournament creation option to facilitate amateur gaming events within the app.

And those efforts are, indeed, paying off – in December 2019, Facebook saw a 210% YoY increase in hours watched via Facebook Gaming, giving it an 8.5% market share of the overall hours-watched for the gaming sector, as per data from StreamElements.

Given the resonance of gaming and gamer-related content in popular culture, this is an important element for Facebook to remain connected with, and while it still has a way to go to catch up to the main players, Facebook is growing its appeal, and is seeing more community response as a result.

And you can expect to see more on this front – as per Facebook’s Fidji Simo (via NYT):

“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.”

Facebook’s dedicated gaming app will further add to this, providing more ways to keep gamers engaged, while Facebook will look to further build on its gaming credentials with the expansion of its VR tools over time.

Make no mistake, gaming is massive, and it’s only getting bigger. Given this, it makes sense for Facebook to double-down on its gaming initiatives where it can.

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Snapchat Explores New Messaging Retention Feature: A Game-Changer or Risky Move?

Published

1 month ago

March 18, 2024

Max

Snapchat Explores New Messaging Retention Feature: A Game-Changer or Risky Move?

In a recent announcement, Snapchat revealed a groundbreaking update that challenges its traditional design ethos. The platform is experimenting with an option that allows users to defy the 24-hour auto-delete rule, a feature synonymous with Snapchat’s ephemeral messaging model.

The proposed change aims to introduce a “Never delete” option in messaging retention settings, aligning Snapchat more closely with conventional messaging apps. While this move may blur Snapchat’s distinctive selling point, Snap appears convinced of its necessity.

According to Snap, the decision stems from user feedback and a commitment to innovation based on user needs. The company aims to provide greater flexibility and control over conversations, catering to the preferences of its community.

Currently undergoing trials in select markets, the new feature empowers users to adjust retention settings on a conversation-by-conversation basis. Flexibility remains paramount, with participants able to modify settings within chats and receive in-chat notifications to ensure transparency.

Snapchat underscores that the default auto-delete feature will persist, reinforcing its design philosophy centered on ephemerality. However, with the app gaining traction as a primary messaging platform, the option offers users a means to preserve longer chat histories.

The update marks a pivotal moment for Snapchat, renowned for its disappearing message premise, especially popular among younger demographics. Retaining this focus has been pivotal to Snapchat’s identity, but the shift suggests a broader strategy aimed at diversifying its user base.

This strategy may appeal particularly to older demographics, potentially extending Snapchat’s relevance as users age. By emulating features of conventional messaging platforms, Snapchat seeks to enhance its appeal and broaden its reach.

Yet, the introduction of message retention poses questions about Snapchat’s uniqueness. While addressing user demands, the risk of diluting Snapchat’s distinctiveness looms large.

As Snapchat ventures into uncharted territory, the outcome of this experiment remains uncertain. Will message retention propel Snapchat to new heights, or will it compromise the platform’s uniqueness?

Only time will tell.

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Catering to specific audience boosts your business, says accountant turned coach

Published

2 months ago

February 26, 2024

Entireweb News Bot

Catering to specific audience boosts your business, says accountant turned coach

While it is tempting to try to appeal to a broad audience, the founder of alcohol-free coaching service Just the Tonic, Sandra Parker, believes the best thing you can do for your business is focus on your niche. Here’s how she did just that.

When running a business, reaching out to as many clients as possible can be tempting. But it also risks making your marketing “too generic,” warns Sandra Parker, the founder of Just The Tonic Coaching.

“From the very start of my business, I knew exactly who I could help and who I couldn’t,” Parker told My Biggest Lessons.

Parker struggled with alcohol dependence as a young professional. Today, her business targets high-achieving individuals who face challenges similar to those she had early in her career.

“I understand their frustrations, I understand their fears, and I understand their coping mechanisms and the stories they’re telling themselves,” Parker said. “Because of that, I’m able to market very effectively, to speak in a language that they understand, and am able to reach them.”Â

“I believe that it’s really important that you know exactly who your customer or your client is, and you target them, and you resist the temptation to make your marketing too generic to try and reach everyone,” she explained.

“If you speak specifically to your target clients, you will reach them, and I believe that’s the way that you’re going to be more successful.

Watch the video for more of Sandra Parker’s biggest lessons.

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Instagram Tests Live-Stream Games to Enhance Engagement

Published

2 months ago

February 26, 2024

Entireweb News Bot

Instagram Tests Live-Stream Games to Enhance Engagement

Instagram’s testing out some new options to help spice up your live-streams in the app, with some live broadcasters now able to select a game that they can play with viewers in-stream.

As you can see in these example screens, posted by Ahmed Ghanem, some creators now have the option to play either “This or That”, a question and answer prompt that you can share with your viewers, or “Trivia”, to generate more engagement within your IG live-streams.

That could be a simple way to spark more conversation and interaction, which could then lead into further engagement opportunities from your live audience.

Meta’s been exploring more ways to make live-streaming a bigger consideration for IG creators, with a view to live-streams potentially catching on with more users.

That includes the gradual expansion of its “Stars” live-stream donation program, giving more creators in more regions a means to accept donations from live-stream viewers, while back in December, Instagram also added some new options to make it easier to go live using third-party tools via desktop PCs.

Live streaming has been a major shift in China, where shopping live-streams, in particular, have led to massive opportunities for streaming platforms. They haven’t caught on in the same way in Western regions, but as TikTok and YouTube look to push live-stream adoption, there is still a chance that they will become a much bigger element in future.

Which is why IG is also trying to stay in touch, and add more ways for its creators to engage via streams. Live-stream games is another element within this, which could make this a better community-building, and potentially sales-driving option.

We’ve asked Instagram for more information on this test, and we’ll update this post if/when we hear back.