Facebook announced the launch today of Facebook Fantasy Games, a suite of free-to-play games available on the Facebook app in the U.S. and Canada.
The first game released in the Facebook Fantasy Games category is Pick & Play Sports, produced in partnership with Whistle (formerly Whistle Sports). The game operates in a similar manner to Daily Fantasy Sports: players earn points via the performance of athletes in specific events in various sports. Players can also earn points by predicting winners of games, as well as for predicting specific outcomes within a match (in a similar way to parlays). Pick & Play Sports from Facebook also lets players earn bonus points for building a streak of correct predictions over several days.
There is no wagering aspect to the games, and the points earned in Facebook Fantasy Games have no dollar value. But players can view their ranking among their friends and family or the community at large, adding a competitive element. Facebook Fantasy Games will be accessible to anyone with a Facebook account via the bookmark menu and in News Feed through notifications.
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Social Media Infused With The Gaming Product
Unique to the platform is the ability to shape a community around each “league” that a player creates or participates in. Leagues can be public or private, which allows Facebook players to share their picks, reactions, and comments regarding each game with their Facebook friends.
In a release announcing the gaming platform, Facebook says their new games “are free, simple prediction games that help fans enjoy sports, TV shows and pop culture content together. These games bring the social fun of traditional fantasy sports to simpler formats that are easy to play for people new to prediction games, while still engaging enough for more seasoned players.”
According to Facebook, other sports games will be released in the coming months, including MLB Home Run Picks, where players predict which teams will hit the most home runs on a given day, with a chance to earn more points if home runs are hit late in a game. Fans of European football can participate in LaLiga Winning Streak, where they can predict which teams will win in Spain’s premier LaLiga Santander that day.
Pop Culture Games Will Appeal To Fans of Reality TV Shows
In addition to the sports-themed games, Facebook promises at least three games surrounding popular culture: Fantasy Survivor, LaLiga Winning Streak, and Fantasy “The Bachelorette.”
CBS’s Survivor, which debuted in 2000, is the longest-running reality TV show on American television. In Fantasy Survivor from Facebook Fantasy Games, fans of the show can choose castaways for their personal Fantasy Survivor team. Fans receive points based on what happens during that week’s episode.
The Bachelorette, part of ABC’s Bachelor stable of programming, has been immensely popular, spawning fans who are passionate members of “Bachelor Nation.” Through Fantasy “The Bachelorette,” Facebook users can select a group from the men vying for Michelle Young’s heart to be on their Fantasy: “The Bachelorette” team. Points are earned based on the dramatic events that play out in the show each week.