Snapchat was once known for its fun and engaging games that allowed users to play and compete with friends. Games like Bitmoji Party, Snake Squad, and Zombie Rescue Squad were incredibly popular, amassing billions of plays. However, over the past couple of years, Snapchat has removed all of its standalone games. This has left many users wondering why Snapchat got rid of the games and where they all went.
The Rise and Fall of Snapchat Games
Snapchat first launched its in-app games feature in late 2018. The initial slate of games included classics like Tetris and Sudoku as well as multiplayer games like Bitmoji Party. The games provided Snapchat with a new revenue stream through video ads and were a hit with users. By June 2019, Snapchat games had amassed over 200 million monthly active users.
Throughout 2019 and early 2020, Snapchat continued to invest heavily in games by acquiring gaming studios and releasing new titles. They partnered with major franchises like Zynga for titles including Game of Thrones Slots Casino and Subway Surfers Airtime. Snap also developed a slate of popular original games like Snake Squad, C.A.T.S Drift Race, and Ready Chef Go.
However, by mid-2020 it became clear that Snapchat was pulling back from its gaming ambitions. They stopped releasing new games and began removing some titles from the app. By 2021, only a handful of games remained. And in July 2022, Snapchat removed the dedicated games tab from the app, taking away the last of the standalone games.
Why Did Snapchat Get Rid of the Games?
So why did Snapchat go from heavily investing in games to removing them completely in the span of just a couple years? There are a few key reasons behind this strategic shift:
- Lack of revenue – Snapchat struggled to monetize their games. The video ads were unpopular with users and not profitable enough to justify further game development.
- Focus on social features – Starting in 2020, Snapchat began prioritizing new social and camera features over games. Things like Lenses and Spotlight were bigger priorities.
- Competition from app stores – It was difficult for Snapchat to compete with polished games in the iOS and Android app stores. Social apps are not really optimized for advanced gaming.
- High development costs – Creating high-quality mobile games is expensive compared to Snapchat’s core messaging features.
With games not contributing significantly to their bottom line, Snapchat likely decided the resources were better invested in other parts of their app. The social platform is now focused on what it does best – messaging, self-expression and discovering content from friends.
What Happened to the Snapchat Games?
When Snapchat removed games from the app, it left many of them unavailable to play anywhere. Here is what happened to some of Snapchat’s most popular game titles:
| Game Title | Status |
|---|---|
| Bitmoji Party | Discontinued |
| Snake Squad | Discontinued |
| Zynga Games (Game of Thrones Slots Casino, Subway Surfers Airtime, etc.) | Still available through Zynga’s standalone apps |
| Ready Chef Go | Discontinued |
| C.A.T.S Drift Race | Discontinued |
As the table shows, the majority of Snapchat original games are no longer playable at all. The only exceptions are a few games like Subway Surfers Airtime that were made in partnership with outside gaming companies. These can still be downloaded separately from the iOS and Android app stores. But Snapchat discontinued support for most of their own in-house developed games.
Could Snapchat Games Make a Comeback?
Given how suddenly Snapchat pulled support for games, some users still hold out hope they may return someday. While unlikely, there are a few scenarios where Snapchat could potentially revive its gaming efforts:
- If social gaming became more popular, Snapchat may want to cash in on the trend again.
- A breakthrough in monetization or advertising could make games profitable for Snapchat.
- Snapchat may bring back classic games as a retro throwback feature.
- Games within Snapchat Lenses could allow low-cost development.
Realistically though, Snapchat seems committed to its strategic shift away from standalone games. And with mobile gaming now thoroughly dominated by specialized studios and publishers, Snapchat will likely focus its resources elsewhere.
Third-Party Snapchat Games
While Snapchat’s own official games are gone, some third-party apps are trying to fill the void. These include:
Friendship Games
Friendship Games seeks to recreate the Snapchat gaming experience with multiplayer titles like Air Hockey against friends’ Bitmojis. It connects with your Snapchat account to access friends and avatar data.
Snap Games Center
Snap Games Center is an app offering versions of classic Snapchat games like Zombie Rescue Squad, C.A.T.S Drift Race, and Lucky Slider. The games are not officially licensed by Snapchat.
Snap Royale
Snap Royale brings together various Flash-style web games that can be played solo or shared and competed in with Snapchat friends. Games span action, adventure, sports, puzzles and more.
These third-party apps recapture some of the nostalgia and fun of Snapchat gaming. But the experience still pales in comparison to what Snapchat itself once offered.
Other Social Platforms With Mobile Games
Although Snapchat moved on from games, some of its social media competitors integrate gaming more robustly:
WeChat has an extensive mini programs system that includes hundreds of lightweight games spanning action, adventure, RPG, puzzles, board games and more. Games can be instantly launched within mobile WeChat and support multiplayer gameplay.
Facebook Messenger
Facebook Messenger features integrations with popular mobile games like Words With Friends, Galaga Wars and Basketball FRVR. Users can launch and play these games instantly without leaving Messenger.
A handful of casual games are available within WhatsApp, including a Tetris knock-off, shooter game, and tic-tac-toe. Gameplay and leaderboards are tied to your WhatsApp contacts.
Other messaging apps have clearly seen more long-term potential in social gaming than Snapchat. Their games catalogs remain fairly small but show how mobile multiplayer gaming can meaningfully enhance social communication.
Conclusion
Snapchat’s gaming feature once looked like it could become a major part of the app. Millions of users flocked to play mobile games with friends in what seemed like the perfect marriage of gaming and social networking. However, Snapchat failed to make games profitable and has now distanced itself entirely from standalone gameplay.
It’s unfortunate that short-lived business decisions caused the loss of so many quality social games. Snapchat has since refocused on its core messaging and photo/video sharing capabilities. But for those who enjoyed playing games like Bitmoji Party or Snake Squad with friends, Snapchat will remain far less fun without them.