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Facebook announces their own Cloud Gaming service

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Facebook announced yesterday that they're throwing their controller into the Cloud Gaming ring, although they seem to be doing it differently. Joining the likes of Google with Stadia, NVIDIA with GeForce NOW, Amazon with Luna and Microsoft with what was originally called xCloud (now bundled under Xbox Game Pass Ultimate).

In the blog post they go into a fair amount of detail about how it's going to work, and it seems it will be playable on Linux just like their current smaller games are as it will be directly in the browser at fb.gg/play. It's not going to split off into a new name or new service like others have done, it's just being integrated into what they're already doing with Facebook Gaming.

Facebook look to be doing it differently by coming out of the gate explaining they're not trying to over-promise, they don't want to replace existing consoles / gaming methods and just be an additional way to play games. Fair enough. They're also keeping the types of games down to a minimum to begin with, along with it only being open to the US right now in these places:

California, Texas and Northeast and Mid-Atlantic states including, Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Delaware, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Washington, D.C., Virginia and West Virginia

With more locations through 2021 as they scale up their infrastructure to cope with more people and more games.

It's also interesting to see what types of gaming they will do, as it seems they're not going for premium purchase games like Google Stadia and no subscription like Amazon Luna. Instead, the mobile-gaming way is coming with free to play games along with "cloud playable ads" and in-app purchases.

They also announced they will add in gaming-specific Player Names and Avatars so you don't have your real name and profile picture shown up when on Facebook Gaming. Due to the way it works, it seems cross-play will only happen between Facebook Gaming and supported mobile game downloads that support Facebook's login for gaming. No cross-play with other cloud gaming or other native desktop gaming, as they seem currently firmly focused on free to play games you would find on mobile.

The question is: will you use it? All the games being free sure does bring down a big barrier.

I sure as heck won't use it though. The last thing I want to do is spend longer than 5 minutes with Facebook checking for messages from family.

Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.
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I am the owner of GamingOnLinux. After discovering Linux back in the days of Mandrake in 2003, I constantly checked on the progress of Linux until Ubuntu appeared on the scene and it helped me to really love it. You can reach me easily by emailing GamingOnLinux directly.
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24 comments
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Guerrilla Oct 28, 2020
Normally I'd say you would have to pay me to use the service, but the truth is that I make enough money that I have a hard time imagining Facebook offering nearly enough to get my interest.

I simply do not like "cloud" gaming in general, but Facebook's iteration? They're one of the companies in the world that I try to avoid like the plague. Oddly enough, nearly all of the players in the game streaming market are on that list (at least, in some capacity). I have an original Oculus Rift that's effectively a time bomb due to the eventual Facebook account requirement.

The only saving grace is that I get pretty sick from most VR games, so I rarely use it.
Zelox Oct 28, 2020
Another streaming service. I can't really see why you would use this. Even stadia is more appealing then Facebooks cloud gaming. I guess another war has started now atleast. Before it was clients now its cloud gaming
Mnoleg Oct 29, 2020
Quoting: Liam DaweJoining the likes of Google with Stadia, NVIDIA with GeForce NOW, Amazon with Luna and Microsoft with what was originally called xCloud (now bundled under Xbox Game Pass Ultimate).
You forgot to mention Desura with Online Games.
Eike Oct 29, 2020
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Quoting: KandarihuLast night, I read something about the United Nations having a plan for their Agenda 21 that by the year 2030, they'll have it that governments and major corporations will own everything.

This being a plan of the UN sounds every unrealistic. Could you name a (quality) source?
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