Over 235 million people play games on Facebook.com

The company says that last summer, 205 million people were playing games on its site and the userbase has grown 8.4 percent since the beginning of 2012.

Facebook App Center.

(Credit: Facebook)

Facebook has quickly become a top destination for gamers, new data released today by the social network reveals.

According to Facebook, over 235 million people globally are playing games on its site. That figure is up from 205 million gamers using the service last August. Facebook says that its total gamer userbase has grown 8.4 percent since the beginning of 2012, and last month alone, it drove its users to Apple's App Store and Google's Play marketplace over 170 million times.

Facebook relies heavily upon Zynga, creator of popular titles, like FarmVille and CityVille, to drive its Credits transactions. But after a few disappointing quarters, Zynga has decided to reorganize its operation and focus more on mobile gaming. That move could eventually spell real trouble for Facebook.Facebook is packed with games, including the popular Words with Friends and FarmVille. The site has historically been a go-to spot for so-called casual gamers looking for social titles or less-sophisticated games. Those casual titles have become a key revenue opportunity for Facebook, which offers virtual currency, called Credits. Facebook takes 30 percent of the revenue generated through Credits transactions.

Moving away from gaming, Facebook also revealed today that its App Center has been performing well, and has been used by over 150 million people in the last month. App Center is driving 2.4 times more installs than the previous apps and games dashboard, Facebook says.