Robot Invader and Wonderland Merge to Unlock the Web as the Next Gaming Platform
Jan. 29, 2025 – US-based Robot Invader, Inc. and Germany-based Wonderland GmbH have officially merged to form the US-based Create Worlds. Create Worlds is focused on enabling web developers to harness the vast potential of the rapidly expanding web gaming market by combining Robot Invader’s expertise in game development and its powerful 2D game engine Story Machine with Wonderland’s cutting-edge 3D web and WebXR game engine Wonderland Engine.
Capitalizing on the Extreme Growth of Web Gaming
Create Worlds is dedicated to transforming the web into the next gaming platform, capitalizing on the extreme growth of both embedded gaming and browser-based platforms. Embedded gaming platforms are also gaining momentum, with major players like Discord, Telegram, and YouTube launching their own offerings. Browser-based platforms have seen a surge in popularity, with market leaders Poki and CrazyGames gaining over 30 million new monthly active users over the past year. Advancements in monetization of web games, such as expanded in-app purchase support, and the rapid adoption of progressive web apps (PWAs) and trusted web activities (TWAs) as a distribution method, drive this resurgence. According to a report by Google and Kantar, the web gaming market is projected to triple, growing from $1.03 billion in 2021 to $3.09 billion by 2028.
Solving the Technical Challenges of Web Game Development
While web gaming is experiencing immense growth, developers still face significant challenges. Despite advancements in technology, many web games, particularly those in non-casual genres with larger asset sizes, struggle with the inherent performance limitations of the web.
“Coming from WebXR, where experiences must maintain a stable 72 Hz frame rate or higher to keep players comfortable, squeezing every bit of performance out of WebGL has been our top priority since the very first line of code for Wonderland Engine,” explains Jonathan Hale, founder of Wonderland and now CEO of Create Worlds. “We help developers overcome performance bottlenecks. The relentless focus on optimization has not only established us as the fastest game engine for WebXR, but also makes us the perfect choice for 3D web development for PC and mobile platforms.”
Setting New Standards in Content Distribution
Beyond performance, Create Worlds is addressing another critical challenge for web developers: overcoming bottlenecks in game distribution. With potential publishing endpoints ranging from browser portals and social media platforms to in-car infotainment systems, developers face a highly fragmented portal ecosystem – each with its own SDKs and upload processes. “One gateway for all platforms,” Hale continues. “Our mission is to simplify the publishing process for developers. That is why we are building direct publishing pipelines to key platforms like Discord and Telegram.”
Porting an Existing Games Portfolio to Web with Own Developer Tool Products
The merger builds upon a history of successful collaboration. In October 2023, the two companies released “Dead Secret Circle Web”, the world’s first port of a native Meta Quest VR game to the web. Other titles will follow, including the popular Tetris-like puzzle game “Rise of the Blobs”. Played by millions on Android and iOS in the early 2010s, this fan-favorite has been revived as a web game, recently launching in a playable alpha.
“We see the web as an opportunity to bring new momentum to Robot Invader’s portfolio of games,” says Jonathan Hale. “At the same time, porting the games strengthens our developer tools Wonderland Engine and Story Machine and showcases their potential.”
While web gaming plays a central part of Create World’s mission, the capabilities of the engines extend much further. Web-based 3D applications created with Wonderland Engine are already being utilized for enterprise use cases, including 3D product configurators and virtual training, highlighting its versatility and potential impact across all social and economic sectors.
Explore the Future of Web Gaming with Create Worlds
For more information about Create Worlds’s groundbreaking tools and technologies, or to request a meeting, visit createworlds.com.
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About Create Worlds
Create Worlds is at the forefront of the web gaming revolution, offering cutting-edge 2D and 3D development tools to unlock the web as the next gaming platform. Its own in-house game studio developed 12 titles played by tens of millions across all modern platforms.
For more information, please contact:
Jonathan Hale, CEO
Email: jonathan.hale@createworlds.com
Links
Create Worlds Website – https://createworlds.com/
Robot Invader Website – https://robotinvader.com/
Story Machine Website – https://www.trystorymachine.com/index.html
Wonderland Engine Website – https://wonderlandengine.com/
Google and Kantar Market Report – https://www.thinkwithgoogle.com/intl/en-apac/marketing-strategies/app-and-mobile/html5-gaming-trends-insights/