Way back in January 2008, the very first working draft of HTML5 was published, ushering a wave of adoption to the smoother, simpler, and less taxing internet language over the next half-a-decade. Since its introduction, HTML5 has drastically changed many of our online activities, enabling websites to be far more efficient and offer much more content and content of a higher quality.
With the rise of HTML5, though, came the eventual death of Adobe Flash Player at the end of 2020, bringing to an end many great free gaming websites – among other things. Along those lines, the pivot from Flash-based content to HTML5 helped to shape the world of iGaming, ushering in a new age of creation that’s enabled the scene to not only boom but create a way for classic games to stand the test of time.
A Certain Pioneer Saw it Coming
While it was first introduced in 2008, it wasn’t until the end of 2010 that HTML5 was set to be fully ratified as the standard for the Web, completing a decade-long effort to create the fifth version of internet language. At that time, people were already advocating for how much it would alter how people use the online space, following on from what was criticised by some as a foolhardy backing of HTML5 by the CEO of Apple.
In April 2010, Steve Jobs praised the potential of HTML5 to allow developers to “create advanced graphics, typography, animations, and transitions,” as the BBC recounts, and all without the need to rely on plug-ins from third party software like Flash. In his post titled Thoughts on Flash, Jobs also pointed to the insecurity and resource-hungry nature of Flash that wouldn’t suit the mobile-first present and future.
Just as Jobs foresaw, the ease of creating and hosting high-quality content on HTML5 allowed it to surpass Flash and make it redundant in less than a decade after it was standardised. Naturally, smartphones have been a huge proponent behind the switch, as have the increasing quality and popularity of multimedia-stuffed platforms – like online casinos. Fast Hosts explains that multimedia elements are simplified on HTML5, which is a big advantage.
Powering up iGaming Creations Past and Present
The advent of HTML5 enabled online casinos to host more games with much more impressive graphics and designs than before. Each new creation built around HTML5 rather than Flash became less demanding and even more appealing to players. It wasn’t just a revelation for new creations, though. One of the finest examples of HTML5 having a major impact on iGaming comes in the form of Starburst.
Originally released in 2013 as a Flash-based game – as was the standard – Starburst remains a hugely popular slot to the extent that so many bonuses collected by casinoalpha.com specifically give free spins for the game. Indeed, it can even be used as an additional selling point with bonuses to bring in players. In 2014, its developers, NetEnt, pivoted to create the first fully-HTML5 slot game, and in 2017, they redeveloped their whole library, including Starburst. This was a crucial move that allowed one of the most popular slot games of its day to endure as one of the biggest slots of today. As a low volatility slot, Starburst is quite unique in the modern space, tending to payout more often but in smaller sums than high volatility slots. Yet, it’s the superb graphic and sound design along with its simple-yet-mighty core feature that continues to make it such a fan-favourite. Moving it to HTML5 enabled this.
HTML5 truly did revolutionise the internet as some foretold, and for iGaming, it both advanced new creations and gave extra longevity to the classics of the Flash era.
Article written by Ben Spencer
