Snapchat could be about to get into gaming in a big way

Snapchat
Image credit: Snapchat

Could a big selection of mini-games tempt you to spend more time inside Snapchat? According to an anonymous source "familiar with the matter", Snapchat is planning to announce a new gaming platform as early as next month.

Cheddar reports that developers will be able to build games that live inside the Snapchat app, though what exactly they might look like and how they might work isn't yet clear.

It's a rumor we've heard before, with a Snapchat gaming platform launch initially tipped for the end of 2018. That didn't happen, but it sounds as though the new features are ready to go in 2019.

An announcement will be made at the start of April at a Snapchat content and developer summit, according to Cheddar, with games made available at some point after that.

Playing the game

The signs are there: last year Snapchat parent company Snap acquired a small Australian gaming studio, and it's also been rumored to have made other similar acquisitions lately.

The Snapchat also has previous form for this, with little augmented reality games called Snappables appearing inside the app in early 2018. It sounds like the new titles would be much broader in scope.

Snapchat could certainly use something to keep attracting users in its battle with Instagram, having seen its popular Stories format stolen by other apps. Games could be accompanied by advertising or in-app purchases, boosting revenue for Snap.

If and when Snapchat launches a new gaming platform, we'll let you know. It's possible there might even be games for the Snapchat Spectacles.

Via The Verge

David Nield
Freelance Contributor

Dave is a freelance tech journalist who has been writing about gadgets, apps and the web for more than two decades. Based out of Stockport, England, on TechRadar you'll find him covering news, features and reviews, particularly for phones, tablets and wearables. Working to ensure our breaking news coverage is the best in the business over weekends, David also has bylines at Gizmodo, T3, PopSci and a few other places besides, as well as being many years editing the likes of PC Explorer and The Hardware Handbook.

Latest in Phones
Google Pixel 8a in aloe green showing
Google Pixel 9a benchmark link teases the performance of the upcoming mid-ranger
Apple iPhone 16 Pro HANDS ON
Leaked iPhone 17 dummy units may have given us our best look yet at all four models
Three iPhone 16 handsets on show
Apple could launch an iPhone 17 Ultra this year – but we've heard these rumors before
Man using iMessage on an iPhone
Apple will finally enable encrypted RCS messages between iOS and Android, and it's about time
Apple iPhone 16 Pro on sky blue background with don't miss text overlay
Verizon has just quietly debuted its best iPhone 16 Pro deal yet - get it for free alongside a plan that costs just $25/mo
Android 16 logo on a phone
Android 16 Beta 3 has arrived – here are the 4 features I think will be the most useful
Latest in News
Google Pixel 8a in aloe green showing
Google Pixel 9a benchmark link teases the performance of the upcoming mid-ranger
Quordle on a smartphone held in a hand
Quordle hints and answers for Monday, March 17 (game #1148)
NYT Strands homescreen on a mobile phone screen, on a light blue background
NYT Strands hints and answers for Monday, March 17 (game #379)
NYT Connections homescreen on a phone, on a purple background
NYT Connections hints and answers for Monday, March 17 (game #645)
Apple iPhone 16 Pro HANDS ON
Leaked iPhone 17 dummy units may have given us our best look yet at all four models
A super close up image of the Google Gemini app in the Play Store
It's official: Google Assistant will be retired for phones this year, with Gemini taking over