Goo Technologies shows off cool-looking HTML5 casino app

Goo Technologies has unveiled a cool-looking online gambling site called Casinofloor.com that shows off the power of Goo’s HTML5 web-based graphics technology.

Stockholm, Sweden-based Goo has created the Goo Engine, which enables games to take advantage of 3D hardware acceleration on any device, resulting in browser-based games that don’t suck when it comes to graphics. The technology is based on HTML5, the lingua franca of the web. Another technology, WebGL, has been created to accelerate the performance of HTML5 programs so that they can run fast enough on the web.  With both technologies together, Goo Technologies hopes to create cool 3D games that are instantly playable, with no need for browser plug-ins.

The promise of HTML5 games has been alluring. Such web-based games can be played in a browser, with no plug-ins, instantly. With HTML5, a developer can write a single version of an app or game and get it to run on the web browsers of just about any device. That’s the “write once, run anywhere” promise.

But HTML5 itself has been a false hope for many companies because games that use it have been too slow. WebGL is designed to enable web-based software to take advantage of a computing device’s 3D graphics hardware acceleration.

But so far, only a subset of users can access it as WebGL is supported in only the newest versions of various web browsers. On mobile devices, more web browsers support WebGL, but some of the graphics chips for the devices don’t support it. Companies such as Wooga and Facebook created HTML5 apps, and they were disappointed with the results.

But Marcus Krüger, the chairman of Stockholm, Sweden-based Goo Technologies, told GamesBeat last month that HTML5’s fortunes are improving. The Casino Floor demo is an example of that.

Casinofloor.com says it has attracted an impressive number of new users in just two weeks. The site simulates a realistic casino experience for players with 3D technology that can be used to visit different rooms and tables. Players can play more than 850 games without downloading or installing any software. The entire experience plays in a browser, and the site is built entirely with HTML5.

“Our team is really proud of the results of our work with Casinofloor.com,” said Marcus Krüger, chairman of Goo Technologies. “We feel the end result really showcases the robust graphics and smooth performance developers can achieve using Goo Engine. It’s a great testament to the power of HTML5 and I think it has serious ramifications not just for the iGaming industry, but for other fields as well.”

“The launch has been a phenomenal success. We’ve actually never seen this level of user engagement and paying customer conversion in a new iGaming launch before,” said Jack Mizel, spokesperson for Casinofloor.com. “With our advanced graphics, we’re confident that Casinofloor.com is a real technical breakthrough pointing towards the future of online gaming. Goo Technologies has been crucial in their support of our visuals package, which has been a key factor in our success.”