Meta Platforms announced it will shutter its standalone Facebook Gaming app for iOS and Android from 28 October, more than two years after launch, although the company maintained it remained committed to the segment.

In a statement, Meta said the app would no longer work after the date, but its “mission to connect players, fans and creators with the games they love hasn’t changed”, and the games would be available on the Gaming tab on the core Facebook app.

The web-based version of Facebook’s game streaming platform will also remain online.

Facebook’s dedicated gaming play launched in 2018, as the social media giant sought to compete with rivals in the segment such as Twitch, YouTube and Microsoft’s Mixer. It then rolled out a standalone app in 2020, in response to increased demand generated from the Covid-19 (coronavirus) pandemic, partnering up with Microsoft to absorb and integrate Mixer’s games onto its platform.

The company did not provide a reason why it was shutting down the standalone app, although it is not an uncommon move.

In 2019, YouTube also removed its standalone gaming app, incorporating the service on its main app instead, stating two platforms caused confusion among users.