Mobile games may not be causing developer exodus from Facebook
Rumors have been circulating recently suggesting that game developers are caught in a mass exodus from Facebook. These rumors claim that these developers are fleeing exodus in favor of mobile platforms in the hopes of taking advantage of the explosive growth being seen in mobile games. Facebook, which has long been a hub for social games, claims that these rumors are unfounded and suggests that game developers are not abandoning the social media platform for better opportunities that may exist in mobile games.
Fall of Zynga sparks rumors concerning social gaming
Many of the rumors concerning the developer exodus were sparked over a year ago when Facebook’s favored game developer Zynga began to collapse. Last year, Facebook cut ties with Zynga and the developer has begun to focus more heavily on mobile games as part of its restructuring efforts. With Zynga out of the picture, Facebook’s gaming scene has begun to experience some turbulence. Facebook claims that the challenges its social games are seeing are due to market corrections being made and the often volatile nature of gaming in general.
EA moving into mobile games
Electronic Arts, one of the largest game publishers in the world, has been moving away from social games recently, adding further momentum to rumors surrounding Facebook’s social gaming space. The publisher has also adopted a strong interest in mobile games, claiming that this sector holds more promise than social gaming.
Facebook remains popular with many developers
While some developers and publishers may be moving into mobile games, Facebook has shown little concern over the supposed fall of social gaming. Developers moving into the mobile space have not been taking down their social games and these games continue to attract a great deal of activity for Facebook. The social network also continues to be the favored platform for many game developers and those looking to establish themselves in the competitive game industry
Facebook may be looking toward mobile games
Facebook has hired the development team behind the Spaceport framework. Spaceport exists as a platform to help mobile games developers publish their products across multiple platforms. The platform has been used to expand the reach of the mobile games space, allowing developers to access platforms that they would not have had access to in the past. Spaceport can, for instance, be used to take a web-based game and bring it to Android mobile devices, effectively converting it into a mobile title.
Facebook has a strong history in the gaming field
It is no secret that Facebook has a strong interest in gaming. In the past, the company has leveraged its status as a social network to expose millions of consumers to the games it had supported. These games brought in significant revenue for Facebook and the social network had once been considered an ideal platform that developers could use to connect with a massive audience. Facebook has been losing traction with developers over the pas few years, however, as more developers begin to favor the Android and iOS platforms due to the rampant popularity of mobile games.
Spaceport team may help Facebook break into mobile gaming
In hiring the Spaceport team, Facebook may be making a move into the mobile space. The social games that are supported on the site are still very popular among Facebook’s users, but the company has been showing significant interest in the prospects that could be gained in the mobile gaming field. Mobile games have come to represent one of the most lucrative sectors of the game industry, which is enough to entice several companies to look toward getting involved in gaming.
Mobile is becoming the primary focus of the social network
Facebook has been reforming its online presence recently. The social network has improved its mobile platform to align better with the interests of its users and Facebook has launched new versions of its SDK to Android and iOS developers. The social network, as a whole, is becoming more mobile-centric as well, with many of the features being added to the social network catering to the mobile space specifically.
