Video games in the cloud differ from the rest as they do not run on our device but on servers that do the “hard work” just by having an internet connection.
Like Google Stadia, GeForce NOW, Amazon Luna, and Xbox Game Streaming, now Facebook also unveils its new cloud gaming service for Android and web. Unlike its competitors, which have standalone platforms, Facebook would rollout games directly on its social media platform.
As of today, about five Facebook Gaming games can be enjoyed without downloading anything, just by starting the Facebook application or accessing the official website of the project.
The first titles accessible in this way are:
- Asphalt 9: Legends
- Mobile Legends: Adventure
- PGA TOUR Golf Shootout
- Solitaire: Arthur’s Tale
- WWE SuperCard
These were the games chosen because the initial priority is to improve latency, the time it takes to record the action, and display it on the screen. That is one of the great obstacles to cloud gaming, and that is why Facebook has decided to start with the difficult — racing and action games that are more sensitive to these failures. And all these games are free-to-play.
Facebook has confirmed that more titles will be added soon, covering all genres and game types.
It may seem strange, but Facebook Gaming does not offer console or PC games — in fact, Facebook has clarified that they are not intended to replace our favorite devices. They believe that video games in the cloud will not replace the “traditional” ones, but they will be a new option to start playing.
Facebook has also decided not to support iOS for its cloud gaming service, and it is only available for Android and through a computer’s web browser.
Facebook points to Apple’s policies on cloud gaming as the reason for not releasing this service on the App Store. In addition, they believe that they have limitations with what can be achieved in Safari, so they are not thinking of launching the web version for iOS, at least for now.
