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Facebook’s on-again, off-again relationship with gaming streamers seems to be off the boil once more, with Facebook announcing that its “Gaming Creator Program” will be retired in 2026.
Originally launched in 2018, Facebook’s Gaming Creator Program gives gaming creators early access to new features, more direct access to Facebook’s support teams and assistance in driving monetization via its livestream donation tools.
But now, Meta’s scaling back the initiative, and pushing gaming creators into its more general creator monetization programs.
As explained by Facebook:
“The Facebook Gaming Creator Program is going away in 2026. Dedicated partner support for this group will no longer be available starting 10/31/2025. Creators will still be able to use monetization tools until the Facebook Gaming Creator Program ends in 2026. We encourage you to check out other ways to earn money on Facebook, like monetizing eligible content through Content Monetization and earning directly from your fans on Facebook Subscriptions.”
So on the monetization side, things don’t really change, with gaming streamers still able to use Meta’s other creator monetization avenues to get paid by their Facebook audience.
But it seems that Meta’s not as keen on making gamers a specific focus anymore, which would suggest that it’s not seeing big take-up in this segment.
Though Facebook has seen success with gaming streamers in the past, with Facebook Gaming even overtaking YouTube Gaming in terms of hours watched at one stage back in 2021. That prompted a bigger effort to win over gaming creators, including the addition of gaming fan groups and expanded monetization processes specifically designed for game streams.
But the rise of Reels in the app, which are now driving significant engagement growth, seems to have shifted the focus for Facebook, which is now reducing its focus on gaming specifically, as YouTube and Twitch continue to dominate that race.
It’s another example of Facebook’s shifting priorities, and how it can be difficult for creators to build reliance on the platform in this respect.
Of course, gaming streamers would likely have seen this coming, due to declining interest in gaming content overall in the app. But it’s worth noting that business priorities can and will change, and if you’re building reliance on these tools, it’s worth keeping tabs on their overall popularity, and how broader market and strategic shifts can impact your approach.
I mean, it’s not like gaming creators are losing out entirely, and if you already have an active community in the app, they’ll still be able to donate to you in the same way.
But if you’ve been relying on those additional benefits, they’ll be gone very soon.
