Big investments, new developments, and strong showing of currently available games point to bright future

Although some segments of the video game industry still seem to be either on the fence or outright dismissive of HTML5’s potential as a game development tool, the HTML5 train is still chugging along. If recent progress made by web standards in 2013 is any indication, the HTML5 gaming market may experience its biggest boom ever this year.

In a recent article on industry news site Develop, a number of gaming industry members projected a good year for HTML5. Ella Romanos, who heads development studio Remode, predicted an influx of big-budget, high-quality HTML5 and webGL games.

Mudvark managing director Daniel Da Rocha echoed Romanos’ statement and pointed out that free gaming network giant Spil Games’ heavy investment into HTML5 gaming will likely make HTML5 games more viable. Spil Games announced that it will invest $5 million in HTML5 game developers late last year. The funds will be used to help developers make new games and port existing ones to HTML as well as provide access to Spil’s 180 million active users.

The Linux Foundation’s new Tizen project should also help propel HTML5 into newer heights. The project, which is positioned as an open source, standards-based software platform for multiple devices ranging from phones to TVs, will also eventually expand into HTML5 games hosting via its upcoming Tizen Store.

Of course, the current state of HTML5 gaming also adds a lot to the largely positive outlook for its future. The scene is thriving, showing that web games really can work. One of its biggest proponents is Sheffield, England-based online gaming company AlchemyBet, who chose to stick to HTML5 technology for the development of its popular pocket fruity online slot machines. AlchemyBet exec James Harrison was also among those extolling HTML5 during the 2012 Mobile and Tablet Gaming Summit.

With all of these exciting developments happening in the HTML5 game development landscape, 2014 is definitely shaping up to be the year of the web game.