Web Browser Games Experience Rapid Growth, Surpassing 2023 Figures by 4.9 Times

A recent study has shown a significant surge in the number of web browser games, with a 4.9-fold increase over the past two years, including over 15,000 new releases in Q2 2025 alone. According to a report by Playgama, a leading HTML5 game distributor, the web gaming landscape is undergoing a substantial shift. The report, published on July 29, analyzed game engine demand, publication frequency, and the development stacks driving the future of web gaming. The findings indicate that in the first half of 2025, the number of new web browser games increased 2.7 times compared to the same period in 2024, exceeding the total number of web games released in 2021, 2022, and 2023 combined. Unity was found to be the dominant engine for web-based games, powering 55% of new web games in Q2 2025. However, other engines like Phaser, LayaAir, and Cocos are gaining traction, with Construct's market share growing from 13.7% in H1 2024 to 16.4% in H1 2025. The report attributes the growing interest in web-based games to the oversaturation of mobile, PC, and console markets, as well as the increasing production costs for AAA titles on console or PC. Playgama's founder, Dmitry Kachmar, noted that web games are becoming increasingly popular due to advancements in mobile device and tablet processing power, as well as new technologies enabling fully-fledged 3D games to run directly in browsers. With the integration of AI, Kachmar predicts that by 2030, over half of all games could be developed on cross-platform engines with instant web export, making every screen a potential gaming device and breaking free from app store distribution. The future, according to Kachmar, belongs to cross-platform game engines, which will no longer be limited to browser titles.