Monument Valley maker Ustwo launches Go Go Bots instant game on Facebook

Monument Valley maker Ustwo and Facebook are launching the Go Go Bots instant game on Facebook Gaming today. The game is available exclusively on Facebook Gaming, built on Facebook’s Instant Games platform, which can be played in instant message threads on mobile devices or via web links. No downloads are necessary.

The game will be available on the gaming tab on Facebook and the standalone Facebook Gaming app on Google Play. Leo Olebe, head of gaming partnerships at Facebook, said in an interview with GamesBeat that Go Go Bots is a “strategic climbing” game, set in a colorful, glitchy, cyberpunk future.

“We’re just really excited the opportunity to work with Ustwo, as they have an amazing background and they’re a great company,” Olebe said. “We share very similar visions about creating accessible and interesting gameplay for people.”

The game was also developed alongside Facebook Gaming, which allows the game to take advantage of deeper levels of social play and friendly competition, Olebe said.

How the game works

Above: A Go Go Bots duo game.

Image Credit: Ustwo/Facebook

Players choose from one of five mechanical characters, each with its own powers and attributes. They race against the clock and each other to navigate hazard-strewn obstacle courses. With two game modes focused on friendly multiplayer competition, Go Go Bots is specifically designed to connect people. I gave it a whirl and found it challenging. It’s best played on a smartphone.

Go Go Bots has two game modes: Seasons allows players to play solo and Grand Prix allows group play.

Olebe said that each month more than 700 million people play games, watch gaming videos, or engage in gaming groups on Facebook. The most recent surge of games on Facebook has come from the Instant Games platform, which lets developers build and publish games in the HTML5 format, the lingua franca of the web. In April, Facebook launched the standalone Facebook Gaming app on Google Play, a focused, gaming-only experience where you can watch your favorite streamers, play instant games, and take part in gaming groups.

Above: Go Go Bots trio game

Image Credit: Ustwo/Facebook

In December, two new Pokémon games launched on Facebook Gaming: Pokémon Tower Battle and Pokémon Medallion Battle. This marked the first time The Pokémon Company has created games for Facebook Gaming and both were built on the Instant Games platform.

The collaboration took about a year, with a focus on making a broadly accessible game, Olebe said. The game doesn’t have any monetization in it now, but it could be added later. Typically, such games monetize through in-app purchases or advertising.

“It’s a great moment in time for the platform,” Olebe said. “With the state of the world today, with everybody dealing with COVID-19, more people are playing games and watching people play games. So people are looking for great gaming experiences like this.”