Facebook tests Instant Games on Messenger

Facebook is testing yet another potential GAME changer on the Messenger platform which will let you play games with your friends, after videos, games are the next sector they wish to dominate with Instant Games

Facebook has begun testing Instant Games in New Zealand, and the game is titled ‘Shuffle Cats Mini’ which the social networking behemoth has developed together with King.com, as it was reported by TechCrunch. You may recollect King.com are the makers of the highly popular and even more addictive Candy Crush game.

It is also reported that Facebook is working with a handful of other game studios such as Big Viking, which indicates a bigger launch might be in order.

This is the most recent development from Facebook involving games on their platform since the company launched Gameroom, Facebook’s Steam competitor. Unlike Gameroom, the games that the company is currently testing shall be lightweight ones, that will keep you engaged, and on Facebook.

Big Viking is a startup that is working on HTML5 Instant Games and is said to be closely working with Facebook for something which they aren’t keen to disclose.

Although Big Viking CEO Albert Lai who spoke to TechCrunch had the following to say, “HTML5 is a technology that basically allows us to embed our games into anything and everything as well as inside messenger platforms with bots. In any messenger platform, can play our game. This completely shifts the power in the distribution system. Anywhere there’s a messenger we can deliver our games instantaneously.”

A few years ago, Facebook Games happened to be all the rage. Remember FarmVille, Mafia Wars, CityVille and Zynga Poker ? Soon the popularity of these games started to wane and Facebook took a backseat as users went mobile. Years later Facebook has finally gotten hold of all the mobile users it lost out on.

Now, knowing the overtly possessive social media platform that Facebook is, never ever wanting you to leave. Not to order your food, not to play games, not to send pictures, or amuse yourself with videos or even to shop.

Not just Facebook’s core platform, Messenger has also been infused with added functionality over the last year, with ChatBots offering valuable customer service and promotional opportunities.

Earlier this year, Facebook had also introduced a few modest games to the Messenger platform, which one could start playing by sending a Basketball emoji, much like another such Chess game. Once you send a Basketball emoji to a friend or group, you can take turns shooting hoops with your friend(s) and stay on Facebook is all.

You can expect the feature to be rolled out to the rest of the world at once or in stages, but Instant Games are definitely coming to your phones.