Facebook to let you play games during video calls on Messenger

SAN FRANCISCO: Meta's cloud gaming service Facebook Gaming has announced that users can now play their favourite games during video calls on Messenger.

"This new, shared experience in Messenger makes it easy to play games with friends and family while in a video call, allowing you to deepen connections with friends and family by engaging in conversations and gameplay at the same time," the company said in a blogpost.

The tech giant said that there are 14 free-to-play games available in Messenger video calls on iOS, Android, and the web, with no installs required.

Games include a mix of brand new titles, such as "Card Wars" by Bombay Play and "Exploding Kittens" by Coatsink as well as some fan favourites like "Mini Golf FRVR" by FRVR and "Words With Friends" by Zynga.

While each game supports a different number of players, most games can be played by just two people, the company said.

The games can be accessed by starting a video call on Messenger, tapping the group mode icon in the centre, and then tapping on the "Play" icon.

Meanwhile, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has announced that the company is rolling out its paid subscription plan for Facebook and Instagram to users based in the US.

First launched in Australia and New Zealand, the "Meta Verified" plan offers a verified label, better protection from impersonation and direct access to customer support

The subscription plan costs $11.99 per month for the web and $14.99 per month for mobile.