Facebook Messenger Takes on Snapchat With Augmented Reality Games

• Facebook Messenger is known for offering great interactive games that you can play with your friends, and the social messaging app is now expanding to augmented reality.
• AR mobile games were popularized by Snapchat and will now be a part of Facebook Messenger with titles that up to six people can play at the same time.
• The games will be introduced right into the video chats, allowing users to play while talking to their Facebook friends.

With Snapchat popularizing interactive augmented reality games that you can play with your friends, it was only a matter of time until other apps would adopt them to offer countless hours of entertainment. Facebook announced that a host of AR games would be making it into the Messenger app. There are two AR games available currently with more titles scheduled for release in the near future. Users can play the games with up to five other people during video chats without leaving the app.

To start a new game simply tap the star button that appears during video chats and you will be able to invite other chat participants to play. Currently, the two titles available on Messenger include a staring contest game (Don’t Smile) which requires you to stare at your front facing camera and not smile. The person who manages to keep a straight face for the longest time wins against his friends. The other title, Asteroids Attack, is a gyroscope-based game that allows you to use your nose to steer a spaceship around obstacles. Two games Beach Bump and Kitten Craze will make it into the app via a future update.

Facebook seeks to keep its users engaged on the platform with social features and augmented reality. With many users relying on social media to stay connected with close ones, the new features allow video chats to feel more personal and fun. It also allows users to play together on Messenger without leaving the messenger app.

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