Blizzard games will begin asking you to log in to Facebook to stream
We all know what a Facebook login on a social game means—spamming your friends with requests to play in return for “energy” or some other feature allowing you to keep on playing. Blizzard’s new strategy is almost, but not quite, that bad.
Facebook and Blizzard said Monday that it will begin adding Facebook logins to games such as Overwatch, World of Warcraft, Hearthstone, Diablo III, StarCraft II, and Heroes of the Storm beginning later this month.
“Adding Facebook Login will pave the way for new social functionality in Blizzard games while highlighting Facebook’s capabilities as a platform for sharing, viewing, and discussing AAA game content,” the two companies said in a statement.
Why this matters: Both Blizzard and Facebook are obviously trying to tap into the demand for Twitch and YouTube, both platforms that are trying to establish themselves as the venues not to play games, but to sit back and watch others play them, just as spectators watch football or basketball. The sneaky thing, of course, is that by literally hooking Blizzard with its Facebook Login technology, Facebook entices users to house those streams, and the resulting discussions, on Facebook.
Move over, Twitch
Facebook has one advantage: While Twitch offers hundreds of games and livestreamers to follow, the site wasn’t originally set up to follow a particular game or stream. Blizzard and Facebook plan to allow gamers to livestream to their timelines, and notify friends (or followers) when they’re online and broadcasting. Facebook said 650 million people already play games that are connected to Facebook, and Blizzard’s lineup would add potentially millions more.
Facebook and Blizzard already worked together on a joint Instagram/Facebook campaign to launch the game, so the partnership had already been established.
But here’s the thing—we already have to sign into services like Origin or EA or Ubisoft to log in to games like Far Cry 3 or the Assassins’ Creed games. Now we have to log into Facebook as well? Does that mean we’re going to automatically “like” Blizzard and any and all content that it’s affiliated with? Will we be plagued with picture memes and GIFs? Don’t we play video games to get away from all this?!
I don't know about anyone else. But they better have a way to shut that $&*t off.
I will honestly stop playing ANY Blizzard game if this is forced or cannot be opted out of.
This is ridiculous. I don't stream, but nevertheless I already have a long abandoned Facebook account using my Battle.net email, and I really don't fancy starting it up again. It was abandoned for good reason.
Without going into detail Facebook is just a constant reminder that others I know or used to know are doing things and having fun and leading normal lives while I can't just yet. Not to mention the added drama, hate and trollery that pops up from time to time, or the annoying ads and guilt-trip posts that try to get you to share as if it'll make any difference.
Can you tell I dislike Facebook?
Cutting it and most other social media except Twitter out of my life has definitely make me happier. And it's really concerning that I might not be able to avoid it now if I just want to play a game I've played for the past ten years.
Neiara - NE Hunter - Burning Blade (US) - Denial of Service
Yeah I see no reason for this either apart from "Data Gathering"
If I wanted to post picture/achievements/etc on facebook, just write a status update/post something. This is feeling almost forced and kinda invasive. That and have already integrated twitter for fast pics/etc.
If this ends up being something more than just an option to link, but more like forced link, I'll be not overly impressed.
◄ ─ T A N N O N ─ TH E ─ SP I R I T B I N D E R ─ ►
From everything I read, it's just like the Twitter functionality they already have in place. You don't HAVE to do it; in fact, I wouldn't be surprised if you have to turn it on specifically to use it (like Twitter). I don't even have a twitter account and it hasn't impacted my life at all that it's there.
Plenty of people don't use Facebrick; it would be foolish of them to tie their product indelibly to a third party's software, especially since Facebrick gets hacked all the time and Blizz is very security conscious.
someday I'll find someplace to host a sig that isn't stupid money-grubbing photobucket
Blizzard isn't forcing anyone to do anything.
It's offering integration of live streaming of games with Facebook Live.
You CAN log in to Facebook Live if you want, to allow for easier streaming of videos you make of yourself playing Blizzard games.
There's absolutely nothing about forcing you to log in to Facebook to play Blizzard games.
A bit of palindromic wisdom: "Step on no pets!" Casual player.. don't raid, don't PvP. Suffer from extreme altitis I love pets - combat or non. <That Kind of Orc> guild on The Scryers, small, casual LGBT and friends guild, join us Horde-side.
If it's optional, then it's great for people who like or want to utilize that function. Personally it's not something I will be doing. I prefer keeping my social RL stuff and my games stuff separate. I don't even use the camera toy thing...
If it becomes mandatory, then there are going to be issues.
Silent as night, silent as death, silent as your last breath
~~~ Interested in HARPG? Check out Marandian's
~~~ (Closed)FR gems: (Click here for details) My DeviantART/My Petopia art thread
~~~ I cry inside every day, as common courtesy withers away. Are you part of the problem or will you help it grow?
I don't use the Twitter integration either, like I said in my post. But hey, if other people wanna tweet their friends every time they catch 25 more fish, more power to 'em.
someday I'll find someplace to host a sig that isn't stupid money-grubbing photobucket
When I say forced I am meaning I log into b.net and hit the button to launch Hearthstone and BAM Crackbook login pops up.
That generally is considered forcing a login in order to proceed to the game.
Closing the login screen can sometimes clear it but it also sometimes does not allow you to play the game.
It is not known exactly how this will function but I definitely felt folks on here needed to know about it. I'll wait and see how this is implemented though. If it cannot be shut off or cancelled out of in order to proceed to the game then bye bye Blizzard.
Silent as night, silent as death, silent as your last breath
~~~ Interested in HARPG? Check out Marandian's
~~~ (Closed)FR gems: (Click here for details) My DeviantART/My Petopia art thread
~~~ I cry inside every day, as common courtesy withers away. Are you part of the problem or will you help it grow?
It does. Much appreciated