Post the launch of its dedicated desktop gaming platform Gameroom, Facebook now sees potential in baking in light-weight instantly playable games within its billion-user-strong Messenger app. This new gaming platform, expected to launch later this month, has been christened ‘Instant Games’ and plans to bring simple HTML5-powered games to your messaging experience, reports The Information.
For those unaware, Facebook Messenger had started plotting a plan to introduce features to distract and possibly enhance your messaging experience long ago with the launch of its first-ever game — Doodle Draw. The platform has since then expanded to include third-party integrations, multiplayer turn-based games, and the ubiquitous chatbots. But, the social media giant now seems to be following the infamous path taken by WeChat to include even more games within its messaging client.
The ‘Instant Games’ on Facebook Messenger will most likely host asynchronous games that’ll allow you to play with friends in real-time — taking turns, not necessarily at the same time. This means that the messaging platform is now gearing up to expand and build upon its already popular chess, soccer, and hoopla shooting mini-games. This move is also aimed at claiming a spot in the mobile gaming market, which the company seems to have completely missed out upon.
Though details about the platform’s existence are sparse but TechCrunch reports that Facebook is already testing one of Candy Crush creator King.com’s instant games called ‘Shuffle Cats Mini’ on the Messenger platform in New Zealand. The Facebook page for the game is said to be prompting users in certain regions of NZ to try out its simple card flicking web game on the social platform.
In addition, TechCrunch has reason to believe that another recently funded startup ‘Big Viking’ is working on the development and deployment of HTML5 instant games on the messenger platform. While talking to Josh Constine of the TechCrunch, Big Viking CEO Albert Lai detailed the company’s technology which enables them to embed their mini-games anywhere, even Facebook’s Messenger platform. But Lai steered clear and denied to comment when asked about his team working with Facebook on the ‘Instant Games’ project, which gives us all the more reason to dwell upon their involvement.
Much like its core platform, Facebook is now trying to instill more social features into its Messenger platform. The inclusion of ‘Instant Games’ into its messaging client would not only enable the company to increase engagement but also present it with another turf to surface ads to its users. Since the ad load for Facebook has reached its maximum capacity, this could be another avenue to explore for the social media giant.
