Issue #663 - September 18th 2026

Weekly newsletter about Web Game Development.
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Articles:

Roblox expands tools to help creators build, distribute games
Roblox plans to let creators distribute games as standalone apps across mobile, PC and consoles, while also bringing browser-based play and expanding its AI-powered creation tools.
Anzar Mehraj at Reuters

Draft of new EU law proposes sweeping restrictions on online games
The proposed EU KIDS Act could extend new child-safety rules to online games, potentially affecting retention mechanics, communication between minors and other users, age assurance, and monetization systems.
Andreas Lober at GamesIndustryBiz

The White House made a "Tetris" clone, the Tetris Company was not amused
The White House removed its Tetris-like "Build the Wall" browser game after The Tetris Company said it had not authorized or licensed the Tetris brand or intellectual property for the project.
Kyle Orland at Ars Technica
 

Tutorials:

Introducing MTLX - MaterialX tools for the web
A look at MTLX, a pure TypeScript and JavaScript toolkit for parsing, validating, packaging, transforming, and previewing MaterialX files directly on the web and in Node.js.
Ben Houston's blog

Understanding raycasting in 2D games, and using it with a free commented open source JavaScript library
Learn how raycasting can handle vision cones, fog of war, bullets, collisions and more in 2D games, accompanied by a lightweight open source JavaScript library and ten interactive examples.
Emanuele Feronato's blog
 

Events:

Game production, unpacked: JetBrains GameDev Day 2026
Join developers from AWS, Meta, Hytale, and more for practical talks on game engines, AI, debugging, performance, tooling, and CI. Free online on September 28.

React Summit US 2026 - November 17-20 in New York and online
 

Competitions:

Defold Game Jam 2026
 

Tools:

ArmorPaint 1.0 is out after eight years in early access

PlayCanvas' SuperSplat Editor 3.0 rebuilt on WebGPU
 

Resources:

Built a game with AI? Get your first players and ad revenue with Playgama MCP

Best web game platforms for indie developers: where Bounty Board Arcade fits
 

Demos:

Fractal tunnel

Tides - a cinematic canvas ocean

Dweet of the week: ripple remix hi-res
 

Games:

Rectweave
 

Issue #662 - September 11th 2026

Weekly newsletter about Web Game Development.
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Articles:

This official IKEA mod for Skyrim adds its famous Kallax shelf to hold your inventory
IKEA has released KALLAX STORAGEBORN, a free official Skyrim mod that turns its iconic shelving unit into a fully voiced companion capable of carrying your loot, complete with new quests, dungeons, items, and a shout.
Simon Batt at XDA

Seven terabytes of terrain that never exists
How browser-based space MMO Zero-G generates detailed planetary terrain client-side only where the player is looking, turning what could require terabytes of data into just a few megabytes in memory.
Zero-G

After years of company stalling, Blizzard workers win mega-contract that applies to all unionized teams
Blizzard workers have secured a contract covering 1,900 unionized employees across teams including Warcraft, Diablo, Overwatch, and Hearthstone, with protections covering layoffs, remote work, wages, and AI.
Nathan Grayson at Aftermath
 

Tutorials:

Breaking the frame: building a real-time datamosh effect with Three.js
A hands-on exploration of how Three.js, shaders, motion vectors, feedback buffers, and codec-inspired techniques can turn a scene transition into a convincing real-time datamosh effect.
Niccolò Fanton at Codrops
 

Competitions:

More than 300 entries submitted to js13kGames 2026
 

Tools:

Knit of Shadows - free game-dev tools for fantasy environment art

GLB handoff samples

FrameSprite's free online sprite sheet generator
 

Demos:

Follow me sphere

Magnetic attraction

Dweet of the week: untitled
 

Games:

Opusfived

Lab Rats
 

Issue #661 - September 4th 2026

Weekly newsletter about Web Game Development.
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Articles:

Irish browser games start-up Entity raises $5M in funding for 'console-quality games for the new web era'
Dublin-based Entity has raised $5 million to build a browser gaming platform powered by WebGPU and WebAssembly, aiming to deliver console-quality games without downloads or installs.
Nicole Carpenter at Game Developer

How HeartBeast shipped a game in 4 months
Matt Hackett looks at HeartBeast's rapid development process and the lessons learned from prototyping, keeping scope small, using existing assets, and shipping fast.
Matt Hackett at Valadria

The games industry is stifled by a culture of fear
A workgroup hosted by Rami Ismail argues that risk-averse decision-making, trend chasing, and excessive reliance on market research are stifling creativity across the games industry.
Lewis Packwood at GamesIndustryBiz
 

Tutorials:

The depths of JavaScript: Minesweeper in 247 bytes
A deep dive into code golfing a functional browser version of Minesweeper down to just 247 characters of JavaScript.
Yui's blog

HTML5 game performance: holding 60 FPS on mobile
A practical guide to keeping HTML5 games running smoothly on mobile by avoiding hot-path allocations, reducing garbage collection, pooling objects, and keeping rendering costs under control.
NixieFX team
 

Competitions:

Less than 9 days to submit your entry into js13kGames 2026

Uplifting Game Jam 9
 

Tools:

Rapid.js - a lightweight WebGL 2D renderer

1BITDRAGON 5 released

Photon Fusion Multiplayer for Defold + sample 3D platformer
 

Demos:

Little creature

Low-poly neon village

Dweet of the week: uptown
 

Games:

Plant Shop

Clear Sequence
 

Issue #660 - August 28th 2026

Weekly newsletter about Web Game Development.
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Articles:

W4 Games raises $18M to expand its international team
W4 Games has also signed a multi-year strategic partnership with Tencent to scale its business and the Godot ecosystem in Asia.
Diego Argüello at Game Developer

Roblox officially cracks down on doomscrolling-reward games after controversy
Roblox has taken a stance against "doomscrolling" by restricting games that reward ongoing media feed consumption.
Elijah Gonzalez at Polygon

Playgama launches Wrap to help developers run games outside app stores
Wrap turns HTML5 games into standalone websites with their own domains, monetization, purchases, SEO, and player analytics.
Jolie Feld at GamesBeat
 

Tutorials:

Exploring procedural geometry with Three.js and WebGPU
A deep dive into building a flexible Three.js Geometry Painter with WebGPU and TSL, from surface picking and procedural geometry to custom shaders, lighting, and post-processing.
Chiro Visuals at Codrops

How to build immersive 3D web experiences in 2026
WebGL development can make the web feel alive or tank your load times. Learn how to build immersive, high-performance 3D web experiences in 2026.
MDX
 

Competitions:

js13kGames 2026 is halfway through
 

Tools:

ZzFX Studio - algorithmic chiptune tracker

W-XR - lightweight WebXR scene with W renderer

NixieFX - full-featured Three.js particle editor
 

Demos:

Air hockey

Voxel city generator

Dweet of the week: looking up
 

Games:

Gold City

Movie Cast

Now THAT'S a Big Dragon! released
 

Issue #659 - August 21st 2026

Weekly newsletter about Web Game Development.
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Articles:

Godot adoption is rising: what are devs getting out of the engine?
Godot's 'lightweight' features are a major reason why devs are sticking with the open source engine.
Bryant Francis at Game Developer

The opportunity cost of Sony's live service pivot is enormous
The cost can't be measured only in money; what's the price tag for some of Sony's biggest studios being missing in action for much of the PS5 era?
Rob Fahey at GamesIndustryBiz

Developer Cold Iron Studios shuts down cloud version of $60 game with no refunds
A reminder of the perils of digital ownership.
Scharon Harding at Ars Technica

Still more GTA 6 details from the latest leaked video: traffic cameras, car trackers, and drivers that put up a fight
With each leaked video we learn a bit more about the game.
Christopher Livingston at PC Gamer
 

Tutorials:

Relighting images with depth maps and Three.js
Explore how depth maps, TSL, and WebGPU can be combined to turn flat 2D images into dynamic surfaces with realistic lighting, surface detail, and self-shadowing.
Dominik Fojcik at Codrops
 

Tools:

Open SA - a from-scratch, high-performance WebGPU engine compatible with RenderWare (GTA San Andreas)

Defold 1.13.1 released
 

Resources:

Gamedev.js Survey 2026 is open - you can fill the form directly here
 

Demos:

Verity engine

Circle pattern animation lighten

Dweet of the week: plastic
 

Games:

LittleJS Arcade
 

Issue #658 - August 14th 2026

Weekly newsletter about Web Game Development.
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Articles:

Unity records "best quarter in history" following continued success of Vector AI
AI-driven advertising and user acquisition platform boosted Grow Solutions revenue by 35% to $389 million during Q2.
Sophie McEvoy at GamesIndustryBiz

Fallout 3 dev excited for the remaster because the original game’s visuals were ‘100 percent not what we intended’
According to longtime game developer Nathan Purkeypile, Bethesda's open-world RPG was 'super tech constrained'.
Zack Zwiezen at Kotaku

Coffee Stain bullish despite underperformance of Deep Rock Galactic spinoff
Meanwhile, the company's popular Roblox title, Welcome to Bloxburg, generated $2.1 million during Q1.
Chris Kerr at Game Developer

If you're not paying attention to retro game recompilations, you're missing the most exciting thing in gaming right now
Forget all the new games coming out in 2026. Newly shiny old games are where it's at.
Wes Fenlon at PC Gamer
 

Tutorials:

No build step, no bundler: 11 things that broke shipping Three.js into an iframe
Two 3D games, real ones with physics and shadows and a mascot, that have to load inside an iframe on somebody else's page, on whatever laptop a school district bought in 2019, with no build step, no bundler, and no framework.
Kentog751 at DevTo
 

Events:

The Poki Party at Gamescom 2026 on August 26th
 

Competitions:

js13kGames 2026 has started!

Craftpix Indie Jam #1-2026 starts September 2nd
 

Tools:

BroMetal for js13k

Sprite Fusion's pixel art generator
 

Demos:

Strings

Celestial transmutation

Dweet of the week: abstract forest
 

Games:

The Sole Surviving Sanitation Specialist of the Blue Giant

Snail Walk: Step Tracking Survival Fitness Game
 

Issue #658 - August 14th 2026

Weekly newsletter about Web Game Development.
If you have anything you want to share with our community please let me know by replying to this email, thank you!
 

Articles:

Unity records "best quarter in history" following continued success of Vector AI
AI-driven advertising and user acquisition platform boosted Grow Solutions revenue by 35% to $389 million during Q2.
Sophie McEvoy at GamesIndustryBiz

Fallout 3 dev excited for the remaster because the original game’s visuals were ‘100 percent not what we intended’
According to longtime game developer Nathan Purkeypile, Bethesda's open-world RPG was 'super tech constrained'.
Zack Zwiezen at Kotaku

Coffee Stain bullish despite underperformance of Deep Rock Galactic spinoff
Meanwhile, the company's popular Roblox title, Welcome to Bloxburg, generated $2.1 million during Q1.
Chris Kerr at Game Developer

If you're not paying attention to retro game recompilations, you're missing the most exciting thing in gaming right now
Forget all the new games coming out in 2026. Newly shiny old games are where it's at.
Wes Fenlon at PC Gamer
 

Tutorials:

No build step, no bundler: 11 things that broke shipping Three.js into an iframe
Two 3D games, real ones with physics and shadows and a mascot, that have to load inside an iframe on somebody else's page, on whatever laptop a school district bought in 2019, with no build step, no bundler, and no framework.
Kentog751 at DevTo
 

Events:

The Poki Party at Gamescom 2026 on August 26th
 

Competitions:

js13kGames 2026 has started!

Craftpix Indie Jam #1-2026 starts September 2nd
 

Tools:

BroMetal for js13k

Sprite Fusion's pixel art generator
 

Demos:

Strings

Celestial transmutation

Dweet of the week: abstract forest
 

Games:

The Sole Surviving Sanitation Specialist of the Blue Giant

Snail Walk: Step Tracking Survival Fitness Game
 

Issue #657 - August 7th 2026

Weekly newsletter about Web Game Development.
If you have anything you want to share with our community please let me know by replying to this email, thank you!
 

Articles:

Devolver wants to delist because indie publishing is not 'compatible' with public trading
The indie publisher claims public trading has created a 'valuation disconnect that does not take account of the lifetime and long-tail revenue delivery inherent in the video games business.'
Chris Kerr at Game Developer

Roblox tanked $9 billion in a single day after the company admitted it was directing fewer kids toward viral games that ‘emphasize short-term monetization’
Wall Street seems unhappy about improvements to the Roblox recommendation algorithm.
Ethan Gach at Kotaku

Former Icelandic minister joins Fenris Creations to lead new AI partnerships
Áslaug Arna Sigurbjörnsdóttir discusses how she intends to "contribute to the changes AI is bringing" by conducting autonomous AI research in Eve Frontier.
Sophie McEvoy at GamesIndustryBiz

Monetizing a web game on a standalone website: the RocketGoal and Playgama Ad case study
In six months, the game generated over 65 million ad impressions with viewability above 90%.
Mobidictum
 

Competitions:

js13kGames 2026 starts next week

Devvit Gaming Hackathon winners

Girly Game Jam #4 starts today
 

Tools:

LittleJS13k - special js13k branch of LittleJS

Easel update: hotspots and nine slicing
 

Resources:

Help improve Gamedev.js Survey 2026 - provide feedback to questions and answers!

Wavedash Creator Fund
 

Demos:

Ocean shader 6-scene day cycle

Bioelectric consciousness engine

Dweet of the week: drainage vortex
 

Games:

Retro Raid

Underground Football League

Fantasy Online 2
 

Issue #656 - July 31st 2026

Weekly newsletter about Web Game Development.
If you have anything you want to share with our community please let me know by replying to this email, thank you!
 

Articles:

Unity brings dedicated engine support to Netflix Games
The engine maker said it wants to help developers produce titles for Netflix's multi-platform ecosystem.
Chris Kerr at Game Developer

Game devs put together an Itch.io bundle of over 100 games with proceeds going to help laid-off colleagues
The Game Industry Hardship Fund bundle contains over 100 games and will be on sale for the next two weeks.
Ash Parrish at Kotaku

"I learnt a tonne about enamel pin manufacturing" - Brigador developer Stellar Jockeys on the secrets of selling video game merchandise
Studio head Hugh Monahan tells us why T-shirts and posters are a bad idea, why pins are a solid bet, and why it's a bad time to be selling lighters internationally.
Alex Forbes-Calvin at GamesIndustryBiz

New AMD Linux patch boosts low-end gaming performance on Steam Deck
Improved efficiency in EPP mode leads to ~32% jump in “1% low” frame rates.
Kyle Orland at Ars Technica

Star Wars will also be coming to D&D, and I'm worried Hasbro's trying to turn a TTRPG into Magic: The Gathering again
Secret draconic lair.
Harvey Randall at PC Gamer
 

Competitions:

js13kGames 2026 starts in 13 days
 

Tools:

Voxby - synth music tracker built on SoundBox

PhaserJSX: a React-like JSX UI framework for Phaser 4
 

Demos:

Strings

CampFire

Dweet of the week: welcome to the Matrix
 

Games:

The Boop-Ity Suit

A Wish for Another Chance
 

Issue #655 - July 24th 2026

Weekly newsletter about Web Game Development.
If you have anything you want to share with our community please let me know by replying to this email, thank you!
 

Articles:

What developers can learn from this generation of game criticism
Hour-long video essays analyzing game design are garnering millions of views. What can developers learn and utilize from the format?
Tim Brinkhof at Game Developer

Hackers quickly prove that Neo Geo Doom ports are not “impossible”
Clever coding and graphical compromises get a classic game on more classic hardware.
Kyle Orland at Ars Technica

RAMageddon is even ravaging retro gaming hardware makers: ‘this is vastly different to everything else we’ve ever seen’
The makers of Evercade are buying up every component they can way in advance.
Ethan Gach at Kotaku

Modding wizard creates Grand Theft Auto multiverse that lets players travel instantly between Rockstar's first three games: 'We got inter-GTA portals before GTA 6'
"The other game is actually running behind it, it's not a video or a captured window," says mod creator.
Rick Lane at PC Gamer
 

Tutorials:

Build a HTML5 game like Geometry Dash using Phaser 4 and TypeScript, with a simple custom physics engine
In Geometry Dash, the cube spins through the air and always lands flush on a flat side. It looks like careful rigid-body physics. It isn’t, and the real trick is much simpler.
Emanuele Feronato's blog
 

Competitions:

Last days to join Wavedash Summer Game Jam
 

Tools:

Pixelfalls - modern retro game engine

Phaser 4.2 released
 

Demos:

The life of a singularity

Dithering Perlin squares

Dweet of the week: psychedelic trippy
 

Games:

The Stars of Nelrand

Connect Cars