Facebook tests letting users play games sans permissions dialog

(Credit: CNET)

Facebook has reached agreements with game developers Electronic Arts, Kixeye, and Zynga to test a new "Start Now" option that allows users to start playing games without having to go through an app permissions dialog.

Games that have the new feature include Backyard Monsters, Battle Pirates, Indiana Jones Adventure World, and Zynga Slingo, among others. They can access a user's basic profile information and friend list without having to request doing so.

"We're beginning a limited rollout of a feature that enables people to start playing a select number of games on Facebook.com in one click, while only sharing public information and friend lists with the application to personalize the experience," a Facebook spokesperson told Inside Facebook. "Initial tests have shown that the start now functionality drove significant gains in new users and daily active users, with low opt-out rates. The feature gives people the opportunity to get started with games and apps immediately, and provides developers with more ways to grow and gain engaged users on Facebook.com."

While this is still in testing, Facebook is apparently set on pushing thi... [Read more]