There are plenty of platforms vying for domination when it comes to livestreams, with the likes of Twitch, YouTube Gaming, and Mixer all hungry to secure their places as in the streaming world. Facebook has the obvious advantage of having a gigantic pre-existing audience, but can also boost content discovery through other Facebook-owned platforms like Instagram and Oculus. According to the official press release, this is something that the company plans to capitalize on.

Facebook will allow streamers to curate content in 1080p definition at up to 60 frames per second. The pilot program aims to generate feedback from content curators around the world, and then build up a feature base that resonates with the feedback that it receives. The company will explore a variety of monetization options for streamers, a feature that will be ready from the get-go in the pilot program. Facebook aims to create a platform where “creators at every level have the opportunity to thrive”. Those interested in joining the pilot program can apply it here.

The social media giant has made many steps towards the gaming market, most notably the launch of Facebook Instant Games last year and the acquisition of Oculus. The instant games tied directly into Messenger chats, providing a direct line between Facebook’s entire userbase and competitive games. With livestreams now getting the same audience, it’ll be interesting to see how quickly Facebook can assemble a community of streamers. If the platform will be able to compete with top dogs like Twitch, the next few years of the livestreaming industry will certainly be filled with fierce competition.

The pilot program is set to kick off with a special announcement tonight on the H1Z1 Facebook page, which will reportedly feature many livestream hosts concurrently streaming on the platform. The social media giant also confirmed it would have an active presence through the platform at future events like PAX East in April. Whether Facebook’s pilot project will truly create the ‘creator-first ecosystem" it aims for is anyone’s guess, but the project is certainly backed by plenty of muscle.

Source: Facebook