When you think of social media, Snapchat is probably one of those companies that immediately comes to mind. It has had a huge presence in the picture-sharing industry ever since it launched back in 2011. Now, the company has its sights set on the gaming sector.
This isn’t surprising. Gaming is a billion dollar industry and sales don’t seem to be slowing any time soon. Snapchat’s new gaming service will be called Snap Games. It will allow users to play games with their friends in real time, according to an announcement at Partner Summit in LA.
To access these games, all you have to do is go into your Snapchat app. From there, you’ll click on a rocket button that sends you into a live game with your friends. While playing, you’ll be able to interact with them via text or voice.
In theory, this is a great idea. More and more gamers today are focused on social experiences, where they can share great moments with their friends. Snap Games seems like the perfect platform for these social gaming experiences. There’s something fundamentally special about playing with friends online, especially when competition is involved.
In terms of the game library, the platform is getting some exclusives. One worth mentioning is Bitmoji Party. It will play a lot like Mario Party, where you get to control your own 3D avatar. There will be various mini-games included, which highlight group play. What’s interesting here is that up to eight friends can play at a time. This gives you all the more reason to open up your Snapchat app and start gaming.
For those that are fans of battle royale, Snap Games will have Tiny Royale. It features top-down play with a looter-shooter design. You have the chance to battle it out with your friends until only one remains. We haven’t seen any actual footage of gameplay, but it seems full of potential.
Now, you’re probably wondering if these games will be free. They in fact will be. There is one small catch, though. You’ll need to watch a short ad clip before gaining access to a particular game. This way, companies can get their ads across a popular platform. The ads won’t be long, though, so gamers aren’t inconvenienced too much.
So far, Snap Games seems like it will have a huge impact on the gaming market. It will officially launch later in the year.
