In a new and very smart move, Facebook is embracing the mobile platform by launching a game publishing program that will enable software developers and publishers to release their games for Facebook users.
Zynga? What Zynga?
If you ever thought that Zynga’s former CEO Mark Pincus really missed the company’s focus, then you’re totally right! And since parting ways with Zuckerberg, the Facebook team started taking advantage of the gaming market that seems to be growing by the minute, especially among Facebook users (Candy Crush addiction anyone?).
What’s there for gambling?
The new Facebook program is aimed at small to medium size iGaming software developers, featuring companies like Space Ape, 5th Planet, Certain Affinity, Dragonplay, among others.
The focus is on the mobile platform, firstly because most users are getting hooked up on games playing them on their smartphones, and secondly, because advertising revenues have brought Facebook over $656m on the mobile platform during 2012 (eat your heart out, MySpace!).
There are many developers with awesome mobile games who don’t yet have the upfront resources for a paid strategy, and we want to help them find a path to success, too
, commented Victor Medeiros, Facebook software engineer working for the Mobile Games Publishing program.
The project will start out with 10 games (some of them will allow some sort of wagering, others will feature payment options to reach new levels), and Facebook will deliver promotional campaigns, advertising and analytics for the software developers.
It’s still a bit early to predict the outcome of the project, but statistics show that online games via social networks are growing exponentially and will continue to do so for some time.
Some iGaming developers like World Match, Arooga, Quickspin and iSoftBet have already included in most of their video slots a button to share the game info via Facebook and Twitter. Also, a few months ago NetEnt signed a deal with Bonza Gaming to launch some slots on Facebook.
For now, we’re still waiting to see which one of the developers will embark on this social media venture and adapt their gaming content to reach Facebook’s potential punters.