Computers have invaded our lives in the last few decades, taking over our workplaces, our homes, even our pockets in the process. Today having smart watches on our wrists, a smart TVs in our living rooms, smart phones in our pocket is not science fiction anymore – it’s everyday life. And with all this technology around us we’ve discovered new forms of interaction and entertainment. One of them is video games, which have spread to all of the smart devices I mentioned above. And they are evolving continuously to make the best use of all the devices that surround us.

If in the past gaming was restricted to just a handful of platforms – penny arcade games, followed by home consoles and PCs – today they have spread way beyond them. Our smartphones (which are basically nothing but pocket-sized computers), smart watches and smart TVs are all capable of running games, and with an ever increasing quality. But with the evolution of technology, games have started pushing the limits of their own platforms, slowly spreading to others in the process.

Cross-platform browser games

If you take a look at the games at http://www.alljackpotscasino.com/, you’ll see that a major part of them (especially those released in the last few years) are no longer using the out-of-date Adobe Flash platform. Instead, the developers behind them have adopted HTML5, an emerging technology that allows them to deploy games on virtually every platform simultaneously. The games at All Jackpots work with the same ease and the same quality no matter if the device running them is an iPhone, and Android handset, a Windows-based PC or even a smart TV. All the player needs is a web browser capable of running HTML5 to play at the All Jackpots – and the vast majority of modern web browsers already know how to do that.

All Jackpots players don’t need to download and install native apps on their smartphones, tablets or PCs – all they need is a web browser to play.

Game streaming

Microsoft’s Xbox One console offers its users a very special feature: it allows them to play their favorite games on any Windows 10 PC on their home network. The console will do the heavy lifting, i.e. all the calculating and output generating, while the PC transmits the commands and receives the image of the game’s output. The Windows 10 PC becomes a remote screen for the Xbox One, allowing gamers to “roam free” in their home while continuing to play on the Xbox.

Nvidia’s SHIELD Android TV boxes offer a similar feature, but this time the games are not run by a local console, bur by a powerful server in the cloud. The player uses the attacked controller, and controls the game remotely, with the servers doing the muscle work. This way SHIELD users can play wherever they are – all they need is an internet connection and an appropriate screen.

Beyond emulators

Emulators have been around ever since game manufacturers invented exclusive titles. But today’s technology allows players top go one step further – play their favorite games wherever they are, on whichever device they might want to. And the cross-platform gaming revolution is just getting started…