The program initially used on 99% of computers globally is currently not supported on any of them. As this platform vanishes, 20 years of content and fun will become inaccessible and disappear with it.
Flash seemed like an idea that was here to stay, but that was not the case. How did Flash, this dominant monolith of entertainment, collapse? Let us look at the details and see why this platform failed despite its wide use by developers and other users;
Why Is Flash Shutting Down?
To understand, we have to go back to the beginning. It was 1996, and Macromedia software had an idea to combine some action script code with Future Splash to create Flash. Flash was a media player that could animate keyframes, and the potential in the concept was obvious.
Flash games were an effective way for developers to experiment and create simple yet fun games. Companies like Newgrounds started adding flash portals and centered themselves in a gaming revolution.
By the mid-2000s, Flash had already bailed in on a whopping 99% of computer users, and companies like YouTube and Hulu used it. The games were free, but companies made lots of money in the ads since flash games were available to anyone.
Despite its massive success, Flash had enemies. Steve Jobs banned Flash from iOS devices because they were concerned about its huge security loopholes. Flash games kept up after this, but there was more trouble.
The gaming revolution it had inspired had started producing titles, and better games were becoming more accessible; thus, Flash appeared as the wrong choice. The increase in accessibility of portable gaming challenged Flash’s relevance.
Adobe stopped developing Flash for mobile by 2011, and in 2012, Adobe announced plans to phase it out entirely. Users and creators started using new formats like HTML 5, and browsers blocked Flash by default.
On December 31st, 2020, it was all over for Flash, and all Flash games will become unplayable except on legacy systems, and companies deleted most games from their various servers. Despite this, its legacy and impact on the gaming industry are still apparent.
Conclusion
For most people, the era of Flash was slow web pages and annoying ads, but it was the start of the creative industry we enjoy today for developers and gamers. However you feel about Flash, we wouldn’t have gotten gaming to its current level without it.
