Meta Shuts Down Facebook Gaming Creator Program in 2026
Meta has announced the closure of its Facebook Gaming Creator Program, marking another significant shift in the social media giant’s content strategy. The program, which launched in 2018 to support gaming streamers with exclusive features and monetization tools, will officially end in 2026.
The decision comes as Meta redirects resources toward its more successful Reels format, which has driven substantial engagement growth across its platforms. Gaming creators currently enrolled in the program will lose access to dedicated partner support starting October 31, 2025, though monetization capabilities will remain available through 2026.
What This Means for Gaming Creators
Gaming streamers won’t be left entirely without options. Meta encourages creators to transition to alternative monetization methods, including Content Monetization for eligible content and Facebook Subscriptions for direct fan support. However, the specialized support and early feature access that distinguished the Gaming Creator Program will disappear.
The closure reflects Facebook’s changing priorities in the competitive gaming streaming landscape. While the platform briefly surpassed YouTube Gaming in hours watched during 2021, competitors like YouTube and Twitch have since reclaimed dominance. Recent Streamlabs data confirms this trend, showing Facebook trailing significantly behind its rivals.
The Broader Impact on Platform Strategy
This development underscores the challenges creators face when building their presence on social platforms with evolving priorities. Meta’s shift highlights how quickly platform strategies can change, even for initiatives that initially showed promise. Gaming creators with established Facebook communities can still maintain their audiences and receive donations, but those depending on program-specific benefits should prepare for the transition.
The move signals Meta’s commitment to its short-form video strategy over specialized content verticals like gaming streams.