Will WebGL use the CPU in the future? What are the limitations right now?

[skalibran]

Hey there,

 

I'm quite new to WebGL and I'm wondering why there are not so many games using this technology. One reason could be that it is not using the CPU. 

Will that change? Can WebGL be a solid base for Triple A-games in three years?

 

[JakeCake]

The idea is that it does not use the CPU, it's the first time web developers can access the GPU directly just like with any native application using OpenGL. All the games logic still lies with the CPU (javascript), and WebGL calls uses the GPU as a server that is completely decoupled from the game logic.

 

I believe that the main reason for the lack of WebGL games is because it is still a new technology, it's only in the last couple of years that the majority of browsers have had full support, and many mobile devices still in use today does not support it either.

 

Also, Triple A-games that wants to be cutting edge and push graphics to new standards will always run faster in a native environment; javascript is getting faster each passing year, but it will never quite reach the same performance as native languages like C or C++.

[suyashmshephertz]

Hey there,

 

I'm quite new to WebGL and I'm wondering why there are not so many games using this technology. One reason could be that it is not using the CPU. 

Will that change? Can WebGL be a solid base for Triple A-games in three years?

 

The whole reason WebGL exists is the reason that it uses GPU. Canvas already uses CPU. But to leverage the power of GPU, WebGL was created. You can think WebGL as OpenGL for web. 

The reason there are not many games in WebGL is that WebGL is new. There are still not many game engines and tutorials.

 

I doubt if AAA game industry will choose WebGL platform because native platforms are still very fast as compared to WebGL.