Following on from the launch of social game Green Farm on Facebook in September, Gameloft has now rolled out one of its key mobile franchises – N.O.V.A. - on the platform.

The launch of N.O.V.A.: Elite is an attempt to sell a traditional keyboard and mouse-bound FPS on the social network, with the publisher claiming it offers players the kind of experience they'll be more accustomed to experiencing on PC.

It's no flat port, however. Gameloft says N.O.V.A. Elite, which has been developed using the Unity engine, comes with complete community support, enabling it to synchronise with the site's social focus.

Moving on

According to Gameloft president Michel Guillemot, gaming platforms like Facebook represent a tremendous opportunity for mobile publishers.

"For over 10 years, Gameloft has established itself as the leading developer on all mass-market platforms for downloadable video games," said Guillemot.

"With this in mind, we've expanded our reach to include games for social networks. This also illustrates our resolve to be closer to our fans on all platforms of their choosing."

Indeed, the game's release has significance for the publisher's overall strategy; N.O.V.A.'s leap to Facebook is yet another example of Gameloft attempting to broaden its base beyond the mobile market.

At the start of the year, the firm launched Modern Combat: Domination on PlayStation Network for PSN – the first time the franchise had made an appearance on consoles.

Like N.O.V.A., however, the experience was tailored to reflect its new home, making direct use of PlayStation Move controls.

You can find N.O.V.A.:Elite on Facebook here.