Instant Games

Facebook Login for Gaming

Updated: Mar 3, 2026
Copy for LLM
ARCHIVED — Facebook Login for Gaming is being transitioned and is no longer recommended for new integrations.

What Was Facebook Login for Gaming?

Facebook Login for Gaming was a specialized login flow designed specifically for game apps. It was distinct from the standard Facebook Login in several important ways:
  • It allowed players to create a Gaming Profile with a custom player name (a gaming-specific display name), separate from their real Facebook name.
  • It was optimized for the gaming experience, with streamlined permission prompts and gaming-specific UI.
  • It unlocked access to gaming-specific social features that were not available through standard Facebook Login.
The proper name for this product is Facebook Login for Gaming (not “Gaming Login” or “Login for Games”).

Gaming Profile vs. Real Profile

One of the key features of Facebook Login for Gaming was the concept of a Gaming Profile:

Gaming Profile

  • A player-facing identity used within games and gaming contexts on Facebook.
  • Players could choose a custom player name for their Gaming Profile, which could be different from their real name on Facebook.
  • The Gaming Profile was displayed in gaming-specific contexts such as leaderboards, game streams, and gaming social features.
  • It gave players a degree of separation between their gaming identity and their personal Facebook identity.

Real Profile

  • The player’s actual Facebook account with their real name, profile picture, and personal information.
  • Games using Facebook Login for Gaming received the Gaming Profile by default, not the real profile.
  • This was a privacy-conscious design that allowed players to participate in gaming without exposing their real identity to other players or game developers.
Developers needed to be aware of this distinction because the user ID and display name returned by Facebook Login for Gaming corresponded to the Gaming Profile, not the real profile. This Gaming-Profile-by-default behavior had implications for social features, friend lookups, and display logic within games.

Features Unlocked by Facebook Login for Gaming

Facebook Login for Gaming provided access to several gaming-specific features:

Player Finder

Player Finder allowed games to help players discover and connect with other players. It could suggest potential gaming friends based on shared interests, games played, and mutual connections. Player Finder used Gaming Profiles, so players could connect with others without revealing their real identities.

Sharing for Gaming

Sharing for Gaming provided game-specific sharing flows that let players share achievements, scores, challenges, and game content with their friends. These shares were optimized for gaming contexts and displayed Gaming Profile information (including the custom player name) rather than the player’s real name.

Gaming Activity

Gaming Activity was a feature that showed a player’s gaming history and current activity to their gaming friends. It could display what games a player had been playing, recent achievements, and current online status. Players had control over their Gaming Activity visibility settings.

How Facebook Login for Gaming Worked

Integration flow

  1. SDK Integration: Developers integrated the Facebook SDK with the gaming-specific login configuration.
  2. Login Prompt: When a player launched the game, they were presented with the Facebook Login for Gaming prompt, which was visually distinct from standard Facebook Login and included gaming-specific branding.
  3. Permission Grants: Players granted permissions specific to gaming, such as access to their Gaming Profile, gaming friends, and gaming activity.
  4. Gaming Profile Creation: If the player did not already have a Gaming Profile, they were prompted to create one, including choosing a custom player name.
  5. Access Token: Upon successful authentication, the game received an access token scoped to the gaming permissions and the Gaming Profile.

Permissions model

Facebook Login for Gaming used a streamlined permissions model:
  • gaming_profile: Access to the player’s Gaming Profile, including their custom player name and gaming-specific avatar.
  • gaming_user_friends: Access to the player’s gaming friends (other players they are connected with through gaming).
  • gaming_activity: Ability to read and write the player’s gaming activity.
These permissions were separate from the standard Facebook Login permissions (like user_friends, email, and so on) and were designed to be less invasive of the player’s personal data.

Why Is Facebook Login for Gaming Being Transitioned?

Facebook Login for Gaming is being transitioned as part of a broader move toward Zero Permissions for Instant Games. The Zero Permissions model simplifies the login experience by:
  • Removing the need for players to explicitly grant permissions before playing.
  • Reducing friction in the onboarding flow, which improves conversion rates.
  • Aligning with Facebook’s evolving privacy philosophy of minimizing data access.
Under the Zero Permissions model, Instant Games receive a limited set of player data by default (such as a player ID and a display name) without requiring a separate login prompt. This replaces the explicit permission-granting flow of Facebook Login for Gaming.
Developers who were using Facebook Login for Gaming are encouraged to migrate to the Zero Permissions model. The migration involves:
  1. Updating the game to use the Instant Games SDK’s built-in identity system instead of Facebook Login for Gaming.
  2. Removing dependency on gaming-specific permissions that are no longer available.
  3. Adapting game features that relied on Gaming Profiles, Player Finder, Sharing for Gaming, or Gaming Activity.
For detailed migration steps, refer to the Zero Permissions migration guide in the main documentation.

Historical overview

  • 2018-2019: Facebook Login for Gaming was introduced as a gaming-specific login experience, alongside the Gaming Profile concept.
  • 2019-2021: The product was adopted by game developers across Instant Games, Cloud Games, and native game apps.
  • 2021-2022: Facebook announced the transition toward Zero Permissions for Instant Games, beginning the migration away from Facebook Login for Gaming.
  • Ongoing: The migration to Zero Permissions continues. Facebook Login for Gaming is in maintenance mode and is not recommended for new integrations.