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Comment by chimi | Hacker News Reader

> Once you start distributing your HTML5 game on PC distribution platforms like Steam or GOG, you need an actual executable that people can download to play the game offline as well.

Can someone elaborate on this? Why is this needed? Is it a market penetration decision? Does steam not allow HTML5 games?

Due to virus issues, etc, I would prefer playing an HTML5 game in the browser. I don't want to install something that could contain viruses or be a vector or increase my attack surface.

I'm missing something, but not sure what it is. I don't use Steam or install games on my computers, but I do play HTML5 games.

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When customers of a PC distribution platform spend money on your game they want to be able to own it by downloading it and having it live on their computer and work offline as well. For this you need to deliver them something that is completely packaged and contains everything to run the game.. so even if that means basically shipping a full browser with your HTML5 game.

We also have a web version which can be played online via the regular browser.

Well, you don't have to ship a whole browser. You can use the player's. Just do the moral equivalent of

    cd www
    python -m http.server &
    xdg-open http://0.0.0.0:8000

That's how I play RPG Maker MV games.

Then you'll get a flood of support tickets from people whose default browser doesn't run the game quite right. People downloading a game on Steam couldn't care less if it weighs an extra 100MB because it includes a copy of Chromium.

Hell, doesn't Steam ship with Chromium (or at least Webkit)? I wonder if it's possible to piggyback on that somehow?

If you did that, any Steam update could break your game.

That's already a possibility if you're using Steamworks (which most Steam games - or at least nearly all I've played - are). Granted, the breakages from a Steamworks-related update are likely far less critical (unless your game critically depends on achievements, cloud saves, instant screenshots, or the Steam Overlay, which would be weird), but it ain't like this would be entirely unprecedented.

Breakage is also already a possibility for games with Linux ports that rely on the Steam-provided runtime environment (I don't know if this applies to Windows or macOS, since I haven't used the former with Steam in years, and haven't used the latter with Steam ever).

If you are, as the GP said, also distributing it as a web version so people can play it in their normal browser, you already have that problem.

Once you are charging money for the game on a distribution network, you probably aren't providing the full game on a standalone site anymore. Maybe you have a small demo.

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