HTML5 Games: Market Size, Industry Growth, and Stats
The HTML5 gaming industry has seen leaps and bounds, however, it has established itself quite firmly with the advancement of technologies. Right now, the mainstream gaming industry is huge, however, the capability to run them is quite demanding. It depends on various factors such as processing speed, graphic memory, the price of the game, etc.
On the contrary, the HTML5 games market stands out because of free online HTML5 games that only require a basic system and an internet connection. This is because the majority of gaming portals are generating revenue using ad placements. This particular practice and multiple others that we’ll discuss later on make the HTML5 gaming industry a worthwhile sector to invest in.
The development cycle and associated costs are much lower while the incentives are long-term if it’s successful.
HTML5 Games Statistics & Market Size
The HTML5 games statistics are growing, offering various opportunities to independent game developers, mobile game development companies, online gaming portals, etc.
In 2021, as per the report by Beyond Market Insights, the HTML5 game industry market size was estimated to be USD 23.4 billion. However, the HTML5 online games market is expected to reach USD 31.89 billion by 2030, at a CAGR of 3.50%.
Different Segmentation in HTML5 Games Market:
- HTML5 Games Market Type: 2D and 3D
- HTML5 Games Market via Device Type: Smartphone, Tablet, Computer, and Smart TV
- HTML5 Games by Region: North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East & Africa, and Latin America
Best HTML5 Games
The HTML5 online games industry produces multiple genres of games such as free-to-play, best coding games, multiplayer, RPG, action, simulation, etc. There are numerous portals such as HTML5games.com, crazygames.com, agame.com, etc., where free online HTML5 games are available to play.
To further add, below is the list of the best HTML5 games along with their sources:
- Angry Birds ( https://funhtml5games.com/?play=angrybirds )
- World’s Biggest Pac-Man ( https://worldsbiggestpacman.com)
- 2048 ( https://2048game.com/)
- Onslaught! Arena (http://arcade.lostdecadegames.com/onslaught-arena/)
- Cross Code ( http://www.cross-code.com/en/start)
What Benefits Come with Making HTML5 Games?
Initially “flash games” were a major hit in the browser games industry. Almost everyone who had a computer system 15 years back had played at least one or two. However, with the advent of mobile gaming and Apple’s policy to make flash games incompatible with their existing devices, adobe support for browsers playing flash games came to a halt.
Yet over the past years, the industry has rejuvenated itself from smithereens. This was because of technological advancements and support that enabled 2D/3D HTML5 game playability without a physical installation.
To further consolidate the benefits, we have mentioned some below:
- Compatibility: Unlike the majority of games developed for PC, Console, and mobile platforms, HTML games don’t require any platform compatibility. They only require a browser and calibration from the developer’s side for multiple screen sizes and game inputs.
- Open Source: The technology, tools, and APIs required to develop an HTML5 game are open source. This is one of the major reasons, there are loads of HTML5-based games that are developed by independent developers.
- Development Engines & Framework: HTML5 supports a multitude of javascript-based game engines & frameworks such as Turbulenz, Play Canva, Unity5, etc. The capability to use these engines makes HTML5 games production for mobile game development companies much easier which wasn’t a reality with flash.
- Canvas Element: Canvas element of HTML5 allows the integration of 3D structures and objects via coding or through added graphics. It gives the developed games much immersive appeal.
- Offline Playability: The capability to play online games without internet connectivity in many ways is revolutionary for the HTML5 gaming sector.
- Faster Development: HTML5 games don’t require compilation, updation, or debugging, considering the games are directly deployed on the browser. This makes the process of developing HTML5 games much faster.
What Possibilities Does the Market for HTML5 Games Have in the Future?
From Growth Perspective
It’s established that HTML5 games are here to stay in the future. Despite having mainstream high-end gaming options, the HTML5 gaming industry is still growing. To further add, there are recent developments in the cloud gaming industry with services such as Amazon luna, Google Stadia, Nvidia GeForce Now, etc.
However, despite having no limitations with playability, there are barriers such as premium pricing, high-internet connectivity, lower ping speed, etc. Keeping the quality of graphics and features into context, HTML5 lags reasonably behind mainstream gaming options.
Although with the integration of HTML5 with WebGL, the browser games produced using the technology have better graphics, playability, and more immersive appeal. The WebGL library makes use of the physical hardware available on the systems and considering the lightweight applications developed, the requirement for a higher internet speed has been dissolved. If anyone has an 8–10 Mbps connection with a ping speed of ❤0 ms, the player is good to go.
From a Marketing Perspective
Several brands have taken the route of HTML5 promotional games such as Tissot, Kia, Lino City, Budlight, etc. These games, these brands utilized HTML5 games for creating a more interactive experience for their customers. This step has not only created a better customer experience but has added to retention also. With promotional games, brands can better market their product along with their features using innovative ways.
From a Revenue Perspective
As per a study conducted by IMARC Group, the global gaming market in the year 2022 was close to USD 202.7 billion. In this huge number, a decent fraction of revenue was aggregated because of HTML5 games. Mainstream mobile, PC, and console games indeed add to the majority of global revenue. However, the development of these games requires huge teams, investment, and years to develop the final product.
On the other hand, HTML5 games can be created on a much smaller scale. In fact, there are projects backed only by a single developer. It creates various opportunities for developers to create a passive income as they can sell these games at much lower prices, generate ad revenue from these games, or sell the license to an online gaming portal. For companies, it offers an opportunity for asset creation at a much cheaper price that can help them create a portal or simply reap long-term incentives.
Final Words
In a larger global context, there are multiple adopters of the HTML5 gaming community. The games created using technology are very basic in nature and ideal for children and people who aren’t that tech-savvy. Also, considering the lightweight nature, there is going to be an upsurge of promotional HTML5 games. It won’t be completely wrong to say that the industry is further going to reinstate itself as a mainstream segment in revolutionary ways unimaginable to us right now.