Facebook adds cloud gaming feature to its platform

(Reuters) – Facebook Inc on Monday launched a free-to-play cloud gaming feature on its social media platform, allowing users to stream and play games like “Asphalt 9: Legends” and “WWE SuperCard” without downloading them.

“We’re not spinning off a separate cloud gaming service,” the company said in a blog https://about.fb.com/news/2020/10/cloud-gaming-meet-facebook-gaming post, adding that all cloud-streamed games can be played on the platform’s gaming tab or News Feed.

Facebook’s gaming feature is smaller in scale than premium cloud-based game streaming services like Google’s Stadia, Nvidia’s GeForce NOW or Amazon.com’s Luna, which are competing for users in a high-growth market.

The feature will be available to Android and web users for now, Facebook said, while it was working on alternative options to launch the feature on Apple’s iOS.

“Apple treats games differently and continues to exert control over a very precious resource,” the company said, adding it is unsure if launching on Apple’s app store is a “viable” path.

(Reporting by Ayanti Bera in Bengaluru; Editing by Arun Koyyur)