Earlier today at GDC Europe, which takes place before Gamescom this week in Germany, Google’s new game developer advocate Mark DeLoura and Chrome developer advocate Michael Mahemoff talked about Google’s major entry into the browser game space with its app store for Chrome. Set to launch this October, the store aims to make a proper marketplace for browser games — one that solves a lot of the issues of games on the web today, from discovery to monetization.
First, Mark discussed the benefits of Chrome for browser gaming (mainly its speed) and why developers should be excited about its app store, which you can watch in the video highlight below. After that, we’ll walk you through the rest of their presentation.
After the intro about Chrome and why developers would want to create content for the app store, the two spoke about all of the technologies that will aid developers in making browser-based games and the features of the app store itself.
Mark shows how the store will work. It’ll use Google Checkout to keep purchases simple.
This is what the latest version of what the app store looks like.
This is an individual game page on the store. It’ll have customer reviews and you’ll be able to see your friends’ ratings.
Google explains what it means by web apps.
Google stressed how easy it will be for publishers to publish content via their service. There is no approval process for getting content posted.
Unlike typical digital stores, in which a content publisher usually keeps about 70 percent of the profit, Google isn’t seeking a rev share — only a 5% processing fee. Google will also allow free games, but not games that require you to pay later. It isn’t ready to handle Microtransactions for launch, but will later on (in the meantime gamemakers can use their own solutions).
One of the flash games that runs great in Chrome, Plants vs. Zombies.
Google also showed off a flash version of Lego Star Wars.
Google said it’s interested in a lot of classic games — they showed a port of Nethack.
Then Michael Mahemoff came out to talk about developing games using HTML5 and associated technologies.
He talked about how much HTML has evolved; how there are so many more common libraries now.
He also talked about how members of the Google Web Toolkit team did a port of Quake II using HTML5.
Michael then discussed how the web began as sort of a black art, but now lots of libraries are available.
He mentioned Atwood’s Law: “Any application that can be written in JavaScript, will eventually be written in JavaScript.” Essentially, he pointed out that if games can be written for browsers, they will be.
Michael highlighted FreeCiv.net, a multiplayer strategy game playable in a browser.
This was an example of what’s possible with CSS these days; the fail whale demo, in which the Twitter whale was entirely accomplished via CSS.
Another example, this time the game Lemmings accomplished with absolute positioning (!).
Google’s own Pac-Man stunt was done with HTML5.
One of the benefits of browser-based games is that you can easily include web content inside a game, or web-based widgets or modules.
Of course, Google took the opportunity to show off video playing in HTML5.
Google also discussed how Web GL (apps that can take advantage of your computer’s hardware) and C++, a language many developers are already well versed in, being used for browser-based games will be incredibly exciting for the space. Obviously, Google’s presentation was a big pitch for developers to support Chrome and its app store initiative, but it was neat to see just how much is possible via the browser these days. We’ll have further updates on the app store as it nears its launch this fall.
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Google Shows the Future of Browser Games
