Facebook Live Now Supports PC Game Streaming

• Facebook introduces a new feature that allows PC gamers to live stream their gameplay via Facebook Live.
• The new feature is launched in the form of an SDK. Game developers can include the SDK inside their games to grant gamers this option.
• There are also added features to help pro streamers make money as well as to incentivize viewers to watch the stream on Facebook Live.

The gameplay streaming market is huge and primarily dominated by Twitch and Youtube. However, the situation might change since Facebook has plans to enter the playing field. Today, the social media giant announced a new feature that makes it super easy for gamers to stream PC games on Facebook Live.

This is not the first time Facebook has taken the initiative to include game streaming on its platform. Back in 2016, Overwatch, the first-person shooter from Blizzard games, was allowed to stream directly through its Live platform. Then in December last year, the company introduced a new live-streaming option for its mobile Instant Games.

Image Courtesy of Deccan Chronicles

The current SDK is built on top of these previously introduced features. So now, game developers can include a Facebook streaming option right inside the game itself, so steamers won’t have to rely on any third party software or external hardware.

The new functionality also comes with a partnership program which will offer monetization options to pro streamers. Furthermore, to incentivize the viewers to prefer Facebook Live over Twitch or any other streaming platform, the company is launching a reward system. Developers can include this reward system into their games which will grant in-game perks and benefits to people viewing the stream on Facebook Live.

Now granted, platforms like Twitch or YouTube have evolved into a dedicated gaming community where streamers and viewers alike spend hours on end sharing their love for gaming. It is unlikely that Facebook can come along and disturb this balance. Furthermore, it will be challenging to persuade viewers who have already invested in these platforms either monetarily, socially, or inside the community itself.

But still, the game streaming community holds a multi-billion person audience base. Even getting a small percentage of that onto Facebook Live will help generate significant revenue. And then there is always the hope that new users just getting into streaming might see Facebook as their first choice.