Facebook Gaming App Will Shut Down Soon

The Facebook Gaming app on iOS and Android devices will be shutting down on October 28. However, that doesn't mean the Facebook Gaming feature is going offline. It will still be available for users, but now only in the Facebook app's Gaming section.

Facebook Gaming tried to become a Twitch rival--to debatable success--and similarly heavily focused on hosting streamers who played games. The app first launched in 2020 and was also a way to play Facebook games like Words with Friends.

"We want to extend our heartfelt thanks to all of you for everything that you've done to build a thriving community for gamers and fans since this app was first launched," Facebook said in the announcement. "This was truly a community-led effort to bring new gaming features to Facebook."

In a statement shared with GameSpot, a Meta spokesperson said, "We know how important gaming is to our community and remain committed to connecting our gaming community with the content they love. The standalone Facebook Gaming app has been an incredible environment for our gaming team to test and iterate on a wide variety of gaming-specific features and products, and many of these features have found a home in the main Facebook App. We’ll continue to support our gaming communities, developers, and creators on the main Facebook app where hundreds of millions of people play games, watch gaming video, and connect in gaming Groups each month."

Meta, formerly known as Facebook, did not state the reason behind the Facebook Gaming app's closure--but the shutdown does signal Facebook Gaming's possible underperformance. Though Facebook Gaming made an effort to become a new place to host streams, Twitch remains unmoved as the de facto streaming platform.

YouTube has also sought to unseat Twitch by courting popular Twitch streamers for exclusive streaming rights. Twitch, on the other hand, has decided to end its streaming exclusivity policies recently. Twitch partners can now stream on other platforms, whereas previously they were not allowed to, but does limit simulcasting to other streaming platforms like YouTube and Facebook Gaming.