Snapchat is stepping into the gaming world.
The social media platform took the wraps off of its long-awaited gaming platform, Snap Games, at the first-ever Snap Partner Summit in Santa Monica, California on Thursday.
Also at the event Snapchat debuted new augmented reality lenses, including one that lets users superimpose interactive graphics onto real-world landmarks, as well as an updated slate of original shows and new tools for advertisers.
Users can now play live multiplayer games against their friends by clicking on the rocket ship icon in the Chat bar on the app.
As part of the launch of Snap Games, which is available for all users globally starting today, the firm rolled out six games that are only available on Snapchat.
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The social media platform took the wraps off of its long-awaited gaming platform, Snap Games, at the first-ever Snap Partner Summit in Santa Monica, California on Thursday
One of its headline titles ‘Bitmoji Party’ transforms users and their friends into cartoon avatar versions of themselves in a series of ‘quick, wacky mini-games,’ Snapchat said.
The other titles include ‘Alphabear Hustle,’ ‘Crash Arena Turbo Stars Drift Race,’ ‘Snake Squad,’ ‘Zombie Rescue Squad’ and ‘Tiny Royale,’ which is developed by Zynga, the company behind many popular mobile games like Words With Friends and Farmville.
All the games are located in the Snapchat app, without the need to download them separately, meaning they launch ‘instantly,’ according to the firm.
With Snap Games, Snapchat is looking to outshine competitors like Google and Facebook Messenger by creating games that are easy to find and play with friends.
It’s also hoping to take a bite out of the rapidly growing global game industry, which is estimated to have generated $77 billion in revenue last year.
‘It’s hard to get everybody to install the same game, then find friends to play with and it’s hard to chat. There’s way too much friction,’ Will Wu, director of Snap Games, said on stage at the Partner Summit.
Pictured are some of the games included on Snapchat’s new Snap Games platform. The top title, Bitmoji Party, transforms users and their friends into avatar versions of themselves
As part of the launch of Snap Games, available for users globally starting today, the firm rolled out six games that are only available on Snapchat. Pictured is Will Wu, director of Snap Games
Snapchat CEO Evan Spiegel (pictured) took to the stage at the firm’s Snap Partner Summit in California. Along with Snap Games, the firm also debuted new AR and camera tools
‘So even if you’re playing together, it doesn’t really feel like you’re hanging out. Snapchat has the right ingredients to break down these barriers.’
In Alphabear Hustle, players collaborate on fast-paced word games where they try to spell words as quickly as they can, in addition to collecting bears and building their own bear village.
Other games, like Zombie Rescue Squad, require users to ‘rescue survivors from the hungry hordes and gather as many supplies as you can.’
Game developers can make money off of the games via in-game ads, the firm said.
Alongside Snap Games, Snapchat also debuted new augmented reality tools, like ‘Landmarkers.’
Landmarkers are a set of lenses that add fun effects to popular places, like transforming them into animated characters.
Landmarkers are launching for the Capitol Building in Washington, D.C., the Flatiron in NYC, the TCL Theater in Los Angeles, Buckingham Palace in London and the Eiffel Tower in Paris
WHAT ARE SNAPCHAT’S NEW ORIGINAL SHOWS?
Snapchat is doubling down on streaming and original content.
At the firm’s first-ever Partner Summit in California, the firm unveiled a whole new slate of shows that will be exclusive to the Snapchat app.
The new shows will be available in the Discover section of the app starting next month.
It includes a range of genres like dramas, comedies, docuseries, unscripted commentary and thrillers.
At the firm’s first-ever Partner Summit in California, the firm unveiled a whole new slate of shows that will be exclusive to the Snapchat app
One of the new shows, called ‘Two Sides,’ presents a totally new storytelling experience by letting users follow the story from either character’s point of view.
The new Snap Originals include:
- Two Sides – ‘A young couple navigates a breakup — told from both characters’ points of view at the same time.’
- Can’t Talk Now – ‘A teen soap that takes place inside the phones of a few high school freshman BFFs.’
- Commanders – ‘Two high school outcasts discover a retro computer with a mysterious code that can alter real life.’
- Denton’s Death Date – ‘Centers on Denton Little: a high school junior whose death date is only a week away.
- While Black – ‘A docuseries that explores racially charged social issues through disarmingly candid conversations led by author, filmmaker, recording artist, and educator MK Asante.’
- BuzzFeed’s daily afternoon show – ‘It will bring viewers the latest celebrity, entertainment, and sheer OMG moments blowing up the internet.’
- Dead of Night – ‘A teenage girl must escape a quarantined city full of zombies armed with only her phone.’
- Compton Dreams – ‘A docuseries following the highs and lows of three up-and-coming artists from Compton.’
- Stranded with Sam and Colby – ‘Two paranormal investigators go off the grid into a cursed Pennsylvania town.’
- Sneakerheads – ‘Follow the misadventures of three college freshmen as they navigate the crazy, shady, and mercurial world of Los Angeles sneaker culture.’
Snapchat co-founder and CTO Bobby Murphy unveiled Snapchat Landmarkers at the firm’s Partner Summit on Thursday. The feature is launching for six locations to start
The feature is launching for five new locations to start, including the Capitol Building in Washington, D.C., the Flatiron Building in New York City, the TCL Chinese Theater in Los Angeles, Buckingham Palace in London and the Eiffel Tower in Paris.
For example, users can add a lens to the Eiffel Tower that makes it throw up rainbows, or turn the Flatiron Building into a giant piece of pizza.
Anyone who visits the five Landmarkers locations can use the lenses starting today.
Users can access Landmarkers by holding down on their screen, like any other lens.
Another feature coming to the app, AR Bar, will make it easier to access Snapchat lenses, as they’re now all accessible from the bottom of the screen.
The firm also launched new templates for creators that let them build lenses that track hands, bodies and even pets.
The firm announced that creators on its Lens Studio, or augmented reality lens platform, can now access templates for gesture-based lenses for hands, humans and even pets
In addition, the firm wants more users to share Snapchat Stories, so it’s bringing the feature to apps other than Snapchat.
‘With App Stories, developers can invite their own community to create custom Stories for their platforms, right from the Snapchat app,’ the firm said.
‘Through the all-new App Stories offering, developers can now leverage Snapchat’s camera engagement to enrich the experiences on their own apps.’
To start, users can now share Snapchat Stories in the Tinder app, as well as the Houseparty app and lesson booking app Adventure Aide.
