The game engine monopoly is ending and most people haven't noticed.
In the past week alone: 16k-strand hair simulation running in a browser tab via
#WebGPU compute shaders. A full 3D endless runner built with zero external assets — just
@threejs primitives and Web Audio API, fitting in a single HTML file. Terrain systems, procedural worlds, real-time physics — all browser-native.
These aren't demos. They're signals.
The assumption that "serious 3D = download a native app" made sense when browsers couldn't handle complex rendering. That assumption is now wrong.
The next generation of game engines won't ship as 2GB desktop installers. They'll run in a tab. And the games they produce will be URLs, not .exe files.
#gamedev #indiedev #buildinpublic