Facebook today debuted its own game streaming portal dubbed Fb.gg, in a bit to compete with Microsoft’s Mixer, Google’s YouTube Gaming and Amazon’s Twitch.
The service is baked into the Facebook experience. You’ll need to be logged in to begin streaming, but others’ streams can be watched sans account. Beyond that, it pretty much does what every other video streaming service does: allow gamers to live stream a title of choice.
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At the moment, it seems Fortnite, Mobile Legends and PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds is among the top picks, appealing to the current battle royale and mobile gaming craze.
For now, the experience is pretty bare bones, and streaming quality is a stuttery mess (we’re not sure if this is Facebook’s issue, or the streamers themselves). But it’s a start.
But Fb.gg is the beginning of the company’s bid for a piece of Twitch’s massive game streaming pie. It’s Amazon’s platform that holds the largest piece of the gaming market, and Facebook’s well aware of the advertising potential that a younger, game-loving audience can provide.
The company’s wasted no time in providing ways for viewers to tip streamers. This is done by purchasing “stars”.
With that said, it’s hard to see users leave the likes of Twitch and YouTube Gaming for Facebook’s platform, especially those more established on their respective channels.
However, what Fb.gg does have is potential with those not yest vested in a platform. And with the likes of ESL onboarding its tournaments to Facebook, and with mobile gaming becoming more and more popular, the social network could be onto something.
Feature image: Facebook
