Facebook boots up Mobile Games Publishing
The company will act as a publisher for small- and mid-sized game developers, helping them get their creations out to more people.
Facebook is making a new push into the world of mobile video games.
The social network announced on Tuesday that it has officially opened its long-rumored Mobile Games Publishing division. The pilot program is designed to help small- and mid-sized game developers improve the chances of their titles gaining notoriety in the increasingly crowded mobile-gaming space.
As with the traditional games industry, many mobile titles have developers and publishers. The developers are charged with actually creating the games, while publishers promote the titles. Companies like Infinity Ward and Bungie are well-known developers in the gaming business, while Electronic Arts and Activision are well-known publishers.
Facebook's publishing division comes just a few weeks after a report of the company's plans cropped up. That report suggested developers would generate revenue through ads, and Facebook would take a piece of that revenue. Facebook didn't say Tuesday exactly how revenue will be generated, but it did say that it will take a share of the cash.
Facebook's Mobile Games Publishing division will focus on delivering games to the service's more than 800 million monthly mobile users. The social network also plans to curate its titles to ensure a person's tastes are matched with available titles.
To get things going, Facebook partnered with 10 developers from around the world. Facebook is offering a game from each developer, including an RPG card battle title, a social poker game, a pirate-themed strategy game, and others.
Facebook is currently signing up new developers for its Mobile Games Publishing division. Interested people can sign up for the service on Facebook's Developer site.
This story has been updated throughout the morning.