MUST & MUST NOT: Items labeled MUST or MUST NOT is are absolute requirements/prohibitions of the technical specification. If the game cannot adhere to those specifications, we will be unable to publish it on Arkadium’s platforms.
SHOULD & SHOULD NOT: Items labeled SHOULD or SHOULD NOT implies that there may exist valid reason to include/avoid them, but should be discussed fully with the Game Producer as they help the game meet Arkadium’s audience’s expectations.
Game SHOULD have a version number that is accessible by testers, either visible onscreen or printed in the console, to properly link bug reports to its corresponding release.
Game MUST be based on standards-compliant Web APIs (e.g., JavaScript, Canvas, WebGL) as defined by standards bodies (e.g., W3C, WHATWG).
Saved game size MUST be less than 500 KB.
Game SHOULD function correctly and be compatible with all devices and browsers that Arkadium supports, including desktop computers and mobile devices.
Game SHOULD only load the minimal amount of data needed to enable interactivity and lazy load the other data as needed.
Game SHOULD complete load and allow user interaction within 5 seconds.
Game SHOULD remain smooth (≥30 fps) during gameplay – providing a seamless experience that is free from lag, noticeable performance drops, or stuttering.
Game SHOULD run well after one hour as it does after one minute, with no memory leaks or performance degradation. Effective memory usage is critical for avoiding crashes or slowdowns.
Game MUST NOT have consistently reproducible crashes, freezes, or errors that prevent play.
Game MUST handle errors efficiently, ensuring that issues do not disrupt the player experience. Fallbacks and recovery processes are essential.
If the game has remote dependencies (e.g., backend services, content loaded from remote servers), it MUST gracefully fail if said dependency is unreachable.
Game MUST communicate when there is no more content to engage with such as after the final level.
Game MUST suppress any logos from game engines such as Unity. The game MUST disable any full screen toggles.
If the game has artificial intelligence, the AI SHOULD either respond immediately or there should be UI to indicate that the AI is thinking. AI SHOULD NOT take more than 5 seconds to take an action.
Game MUST NOT access the user's clipboard, unless it is in response to the player's explicit action.
Game MUST NOT unintentionally affect the platform environment (e.g., prevent typing in the page's search bar, prevent scrolling on the page, play music when a mobile browser is minimized).
Game MUST be responsive to the page, showing the intended layout for the current aspect ratio.
Game MUST resize to fit the container it’s rendered in and not be locked to a fixed dimension. The container is dynamically sized based on the user’s window or device and can range anywhere from 2:1 (landscape) to 1:2 (portrait) aspect ratios.
If the game does not fully fit the container size, it MUST be centered in the container and include corresponding pillarbox (left and right empty padding) or letterbox (top and bottom empty padding).
Game MUST display clear visuals (not blurry, pixelated, or too sharp) on all screen resolutions, aspect ratios, and densities.
Game MUST maintain the game state or progress when the window is resized.
Game SHOULD have reasonably-sized buttons and readable text in all dimensions.
Game MUST NOT have animations break during resizing. Animations should either reorient to the new dimensions or skip forward to their target destination.
Game MUST NOT have elements unintentionally cut-off due to resizing.
Game MUST NOT stretch or squeeze its visual elements to fit the the container size.
Game MUST NOT lock device orientation or device posture.
Game MUST mute audio when the tab or window is minimized or no longer in focus and MUST resume the audio to its previous state when the game regains focus.
Game MUST NOT play any audio until the user has made their first interaction with the game.
Game MUST NOT contain inappropriate content. As reference games SHOULD adhere to an “E for Everyone” rating unless otherwise cleared with a Game Producer.
Game MUST NOT have offensive and derogatory words, even if it means removing these words from the dictionary of a word-creation game. Work with an Arkadium contact on the list of banned words.