The first applications at the App Store to utilize Facebook Connect have finally appeared. Facebook provided developers with the framework to link their iPhone applications to a user’s Facebook profile, but we haven’t seen anyone implement the feature until now. Once a profile is linked, information such as high scores can be posted to a user’s profile feed automatically.
The first game to receive the feature was Tapulous’ Tap Tap Revenge 2 in its most recent update. SGN’s iBowl has also recently received an update to allow the service, and we can only assume many more will follow suit.
This is a fairly intriguing way for developers to keep players interested in their games. Not only does it allow other users to see your high scores, but it is also displaying what games you are currently playing, creating an indirect, cost-effective means of advertising.
This is a huge untapped market for most iPhone game developers. Social networking sites like Facebook are only going to keep on growing so there really isn’t much of a downside to implementing the feature.
[via Pocket Gamer]
Movies 2.0 also has it
I wish Apple would implement something like this, a way to track progress and high scores of games from the App Store. Maybe Apple would charge developers to use it, or maybe even take a larger percentage out from sales of the app. With this solution most developers would make use of it since it would undoubtedly be built into the development tools. Not to mention the fact that I wouldn’t have to create a Facebook account to share my scores and progress with friends.
That’s exactly what OpenFeint is. Except that it’s free. People would scream bloody murder if Apple tried to charge for something like that.
Doodle Jump is another application that uses Facebook Connect.