The era of Flash games may have ended, but that doesn’t mean web gaming is dead. Many people believe—and hope—that it’s making a comeback.
Browser games offer several unique advantages over other types of games, and they hold a special place in the hearts of many casual gamers. And with the constant evolution of web technology, common performance issues are becoming a thing of the past.
In this article, we’ll explore why browser games disappeared in the first place and how they’re coming back better than ever.
The Fall of Browser Games
In the early to mid-2000s, playing browser games was all the rage. There were thousands of minigames available on sites like Kongregate and players could simply choose a category they liked and explore the many options, one after one. Reminiscent of gaming in an arcade. Then, quite suddenly, things changed.
There were two major hits to browser gaming. One was the death of Adobe Flash (or Macromedia Flash, as it was once called.) This technology was used for most browser games but was gradually phased out due to security issues. By 2020, most big-name browsers ended their support for Flash.
The other important factor was the rise of mobile gaming. Mobile gaming especially enticed casual gamers – much of the same audience that previously flocked to browser games. Since browser games in those days were seldom mobile-friendly, they were rapidly replaced with mobile games that users could play whenever and wherever.
But that doesn’t mean that browser games ever went away completely. California’s online casino scene, for instance, boasts high-quality browser games without a need for download. Even without an app, players can enjoy all of the exciting features of any traditional and online casinos, in addition to hundreds of unique and engaging games.
On top of that, there are other browser games that remain popular. Many of them have their own platform rather than being featured on a known platform with thousands of games. This includes games of different genres, such as Slither.io, Tibia, digital versions of games like Chess and even dating games like My Candy Love.
The Advantages That Web Games Offer
If browser games have largely become a thing of the past, why bring them back? Doesn’t that mean they’ve simply become obsolete, and it’s time to move on?
We don’t think so. While it might not be obvious at first, browser games offer a unique set of advantages that even mobile gaming doesn’t. These advantages include:
- The perfect technology for responsive games. Responsive gaming is the future, and games developed for browsers with HTML5 technology might be the easiest way to execute this.
- Playable on any device with a browser. Web gaming has the potential to offer the perfect cross-platform experience no matter which devices and operating systems users are switching between.
- No annoying downloads are required. Wanting to play without a commitment is pretty common, and then skipping the download is preferable. Users can simply open a tab rather than having to download and install a whole new program on their device.
- High potential for discoverability. Since web gaming is hosted directly on the web, there is a democratic and free distribution of games. Anyone can upload a game without having to comply with the platform’s standards, and any game that is beloved and shared can become popular no matter who made it.
- Letting players play idly and multitask. Players who want to do more than one thing at once benefit from the option of just opening a tab and then switching to whatever else while the game runs in the meantime, and then coming back and collecting rewards. Perfect for idle games and incremental games.
The Perfect Audience for Web Gaming
Not everyone is going to want to choose browser games, and that’s okay. That doesn’t take away from the fact that there is an audience for it.
One such audience is what’s called “deep casual players”. This type plays regularly and often, but wouldn’t necessarily be called a gamer. They might enjoy puzzle games, idle games, and titles like Candy Crush. As these people enjoy playing and aren’t usually snobby about what setup they’re playing on, browser games that can meet them on whatever device they’re using are perfect.
Another key audience is those who don’t have a high-performance phone or computer where they can download intense games. For them, web-based games might be the only ones that run smoothly.
Summary: Browser Games Are Back Stronger Than Ever
The death of browser games was a loss for many, but might ultimately have been necessary. Without losing Flash games, we wouldn’t have seen the same drive in innovation and technological development that will eventually lead to making browser games suitable for a modern audience.
Most web games back in the day weren’t mobile-friendly – today, they can be made responsive from the very start. Other technological improvements also provide players with a smoother experience than what was previously possible, and all of this without any downloaded software.
These continuous advancements in web technology are going to be foundational in bringing back browser games. While browser games are unlikely to replace mobile games, they do not have to. The unique advantages are enough to create an audience for which browser games are the ideal option.
