Facebook Adds Gaming Tab to its Main Navigation

Today, Facebook gaming takes a significant step forward as the social network begins the initial implementation of a dedicated Facebook Gaming tab in Facebook’s mobile app’s primary navigation system. The new addition is aimed at facilitating the finding of games, streaming and gaming groups, and discovering new content based on their interests.

When the new Game tab is clicked, there will be content feeds that point to instant games you can play with friends, videos that can be watched from top streaming agencies, games manufacturers, and updates from your different gaming groups, the company says.

The new Facebook Gaming tab is based on Fb.gg, the website which started last year. This hub offered the opportunity for gamers and fans to interact with a collection of all the video games that stream on Facebook. The new Facebook Gaming tab will now extend the game hub’s reach further as an item of top navigation.

Facebook Vs Youtube and Twitch

While both YouTube and Twitch dominate today’s gaming space, the advantage of Facebook over competitors is its promise of a reduced cut. With the help of Facebook’s recommendations based on user activity, Fb.gg’s gamers were able to attract new fans, and then to monetize them through a virtual tipping process.

In September, YouTube stated that it gave its gaming hub a new home directly on its YouTube homepage and shut down its standalone gaming app. (However, it does not appear that the latter happened). As YouTube said, games were a popular category, but most viewers didn’t want a separate app or experience-they only visit YouTube directly.

The cutting of these tips on Facebook is between 5 % and 30 %, with a reduction when users purchase larger virtual currency packs. In the meantime, Facebook’s fan subscription payments also saw streamers cut by up to 30 %, equal to Youtube, but below Twitch’s by roughly 50 %.

It can attract streamers who want to maximize their income and believe that they can take their public to a new destination. Of course, certain streamers cannot trust Facebook to keep the same percentages over time or feel that Facebook will always provide the kinds of features and innovations that a more focused destination such as Twitch can offer.

Facebook Gaming Tab

If you do not see the new tab in your navigation bar, you can still find this tab by going to the main menu on Facebook app. The Facebook Gaming tab will be deployed to over 700 million Facebook fans in one sub-set and expanded over time to more network-wide gaming enthusiasts.

Facebook also experimented last year with the launch of Fb.gg as an independent mobile app to mobile its gaming hub. The App offers gamers and fans the possibility of discovering content as well as joining a community and even playing instant games such as Everwing, Friends, FRVR, and others as a web-based game hub.

However, the Facebook Gaming strategy may not have paid off — for instance, the Fb.gg Android app only has some 100,000 + installs according to google play.

Instead, Facebook will now leverage its platform to raise interest in its gaming content just like YouTube has recently decided.

Facebook also says today that over 700 million people are playing games, watching play videos or participating in Facebook gaming groups. This is much larger than the downloaders of the Fb.gg app, indeed a lot larger than those who went straight to Fb.gg. This means that Facebook will continue its mobile tests with the (rebranded) standalone Facebook Gaming app on Android.