It seems once again, Facebook is widening its catalogue. At F8 this year, the social media giant announced a Mobile Messenger for iOS and Android. In addition to the app itself, they are opening it up to have its own internal apps. While currently developers are merely releasing animated gifs, “make your own emoji” apps, and sound effect apps, there is potential for gaming.
That might sound absurd, but such services in China such as LINE have proven otherwise. The messaging app company had 300 million registered users at the end of 2013 with revenues of 34.3 billion yen ($338 million) in the same year. They were valued at over ten billion dollars in July of 2014.
This is also just on the heels of fellow mobile chat app Viber adding game support back in February. While the games themselves are simple, the revenue streams being brought in by Eastern mobile chat apps is likely very appealing to Facebook.
Given Facebook’s attempt to bring in greater gaming audiences with more mechanically complex games like Shadowgun, they might offer a new tier of quality for Mobile Chat app games. Or they’ll just port Farmville.
