Facebook has joined hands with gaming development platform Unity to build a dedicated desktop gaming platform. Unity will integrate support for the Facebook platform, including an all-new PC gaming platform currently in development.
Unity is a development platform for creating 2D, 3D, VR and AR games and experience. Both the companies are collaborating to build new functionality into Unity that streamlines the process for exporting and publishing games onto Facebook. The social network has a user base of 650 million gamers who play Facebook connected games every month.
Unity has started to select a limited group of developers who will receive immediate access to a closed-alpha build of the new export to Facebook functionality in Unity version 5.4. Applications are being accepted until August 31, 2016. New developers will be on-boarded on an ongoing basis throughout the testing period.
Elliot Solomon, Vice President, Business Development at Unity Technologies said,
Developers channel their talent and passion into creating amazing games, but development is only part of the challenge. Integrating tools that provide effortless access to Facebook’s network is a key part of helping developers find the success they deserve.
The new platform could be a competitor to Steam, which has long dominated the delivery of PC games.