[ad_1]
Facebook has launched a new free game service, which can be played on PCs and Android apps (but not on Apple devices).
Facebook Gaming is the latest entrant in the cloud gaming trend, following Nvidia’s GeForce Now, Microsoft’s xCloud, Google’s Stadia, and Amazon’s Luna.
Five free mobile games have already been released, albeit in the US only, and can be played on Android devices or on PC via the Facebook gaming app.
The games are Asphalt 9: Legends, Mobile Legends: Adventure, PGA TOUR Golf Shootout, Solitaire: Arthur’s Tale, and WWE SuperCard.
Facebook has long offered games through its platforms, most notably Farmville, Candy Crush Saga, and Clash of Clans.
But until now, all of these have been based on Flash or HMTL5 technologies, running locally on a user’s device.
Rather, the cloud-based service runs the games on Facebook’s computer servers and then broadcasts the graphics to the players, who control the action from afar.
By doing so, the company says, it can deliver a more advanced game.
‘Avoid excessive promises’
Over time, the company plans to add more demanding PC titles, but this soft launch could help it avoid some of the criticism that its rivals have faced.
By focusing on games designed for phones rather than consoles or PCs, Facebook also noted that users would not need to purchase additional drivers or other special hardware at this time.
According to Facebook Play VP Jason Rubin, more than 380 million people play the social platform each month, and the company sees a great opportunity to leverage that existing user base. And by taking small steps with its cloud gaming ambitions, the company should be able to avoid the pitfalls encountered by companies like Stadia, a service that promised too much and may have delivered less to both its users and the developers who have joined. .
In a statement, Rubin did a subtle dig into other cloud gaming platforms: “We believe in the long-term future of cloud gaming, but we are not going to try to surprise you with the wonders of our data centers, algorithms of compression, resolutions or frames per second. Streaming cloud games to the masses still has a way to go, and it’s important to embrace both the benefits and the reality of the technology rather than trying to sell you on the promise of where you will be in the future. “
Read the official Facebook blog here
