Unreal4 runs in the browser. Epic!

Epic Partners With Mozilla To Port Unreal Engine 4 To The Web | TechCrunch.

Using the amazingly cool emscripten and asm.js, it’s now possible (with minimal effort) to port original C++/OpenGL code to run in Javascript/WebGL in many web browsers. That’s amazing. And it almost completely fulfills the vision we discussed many years ago with the likes of Vlad Vukicevic and others. Even the 1.5x performance penalty is not a big deal, considering most of the work in a 3D app is done by the same hardware whether it’s via a browser or native OS. If you write it correctly, it should run 100% as fast.

This could be catastrophic to companies like Unity3D, who solve cross-platform 3D by making you work in their time-tested little sandbox, except for the poor level of support WebGL has on mobile. That’s the last remaining bottleneck to real Web 3D.

Apple only officially supports WebGL inside iAds, proving it’s not a technical problem at least. Android support is variable, but within reach. These conditions are mostly IMO functions of the current lucrative business model for apps, not any lingering hardware or security limits. Consider: if mobile browsers improve, then cool 3D apps are once again free, unchained by “app” and “play” stores and their up to 30% markups.

On the other hand, the web is what built the digital economy that’s fueled mobile growth. Mobile phones have gone back to the pre-browser era to make some money, but it’s inevitable that we’ll all return to a more open ecosystem, esp. on Android. Closed ecosystems like AOL only lasted until people found the door.

Nicely done, Vlad, Tony, Ken, and more.

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