With over 800 million Facebook users playing games on the company’s website, it seems only natural that the next step for Facebook would be to help bring those games into the mobile realm. Facebook today has announced its Mobile Games Publishing service, which is a pilot program aimed at helping small and mid-sized developers get attention in the overcrowded mobile gaming marketplace by providing promotional support via ads in Facebook’s mobile apps.
Facebook’s mobile advertising plan has been very successful since its inception last year, and its new service will no doubt help game publishers with small budgets to quickly gain recognition. Facebook currently helps promote mobile games by using its mobile app install ads.
“We are invested in the success of these games, and in exchange for a revenue share, we will be collaborating deeply with developers in our program by helping them attract high-quality, long-term players for their games. We’ll also be sharing analytics tools and the expertise we’ve gained from helping games grow on our platform for more than six years.” – Facebook Developer Blog
Facebook is currently working with ten developers from around the globe. Games in development are:
- 5th Planet’s RPG card battle game, Dawn of the Dragons
- Brainbow’s puzzle-packed adventure game, Dr. Newton: The Great Brain Adventure
- Certain Affinity’s pirate-themed strategy game, Age of Booty: Tactics
- Dragonplay’s social poker game, Live Hold’Em
- Gameloft’s medieval strategy/simulation game, Kingdoms & Lords
- Gamevil’s city building simulation game Train City
- KiwiGames’ quest-based exploration game, Shipwrecked
- Outplay Entertainment’s explore-and-battle fantasy game, Monster Legacy
- Space Ape’s multiplayer combat strategy game, Samurai Siege
- WeMade Entertainment’s endless-running game WINDrunner
Small and mid-sized game developers can apply to the program on Facebook’s Developer site.
[Via: Facebook Developers Blog]