Facebook Live eyes deeper move into eSports
Company confirms it is experimenting with professional gaming
Facebook has confirmed it is increasing its investment in the eSports space.
The firm told Gamesindustry.biz that it is still early days, but it is experimenting with various games businesses including Blizzard.
Reports of Facebook Live's eSports ambitions emerged last week, when The Information reported that the firm is looking to double down on its efforts in the space to be more competitive with the likes of Twitch and YouTube. The report stated that it is even in negotiations regarding acquiring the exclusive rights to streaming certain matches and is in discussions with studios.
Facebook confirmed it is talking with companies, and that it is aware of how important eSports has become to its partners, but that it is unable to confirm concrete details at this time.
Facebook's first move into the space took place in June when it incorporated Facebook Login with Blizzard's PC games. The social network company stated at the time that the integration would highlight the platform's ability for 'sharing, viewing and discussing triple-A games'. Blizzard also incorporated Facebook Live into its titles to create a 'Go Live' streaming functionality, so that players could stream their gameplay directly to their Facebook timelines.