Play in your browser

The browser player opens a browser build you created locally plus your own ISO. The website is a launcher; it does not provide a prebuilt game or upload the files you choose.

Rynn in Surdana in the browser player — Browser build, running from local files.

What you need

Building the browser version has the same build specs as the Windows or Linux game (16 GB of memory or more), plus WSL with Ubuntu on Windows. To play it:

A current desktop Chrome or Edge browser with WebGPU, local folder access, WebAssembly threads and SIMD support, on a GPU the browser enables WebGPU for, and 8 GB of memory.
Your locally built DrakanPC-web folder, containing index.html, drakan.js and drakan.wasm.
The same supported PAL ISO used to build the game. The USA release (SCUS-971.28) has no browser build yet (USA disc support).
Optionally, a locally generated HD texture folder.

Mobile browsers and browsers without the required folder-access API cannot use the hosted launcher. The launcher will show a compatibility message.

Create the browser build

On Windows, select browser version in the installer; this requires WSL with Ubuntu. From a source checkout, use the existing build pipeline:

pwsh scripts/buildtool/Build-LocalGame.ps1 -IsoPath "D:/MyDiscs/Drakan.iso" -TargetPlatform web -WorkDir build/final-game

Use -Incremental when rebuilding an already prepared work directory. Build one target at a time. Linux instructions and additional requirements are in Build from source.

Open your local files

Open the Browser player on the project website.
Choose the DrakanPC-web build folder, usually under dist in your installation.
Choose your ISO. Optionally choose an HD texture folder.
Press Play and allow read access if the browser asks again.
Follow the game's initial click prompt to enable audio and mouse interaction.

The browser player page with its three numbered choices and the Play button — Hosted browser player before choosing files: build folder, disc image, optional HD textures, then Play.

The website remembers file handles in this browser profile. Access can be revoked by browser settings or after moving files; reselect the folder and ISO if needed.

Play through the local launcher

You can also run Play-Browser.cmd in dist/DrakanPC-web on Windows, or Play-Browser.sh on Linux. Use that launcher rather than opening the built HTML as a file:// URL: the threaded build needs the HTTP headers supplied by the launcher.

Saves belong to the browser profile and site

Browser saves and settings live in IndexedDB. Keep the same browser profile and origin when returning to them. The GitHub Pages player and a localhost player have separate storage; switching between them does not transfer saves. Clearing site data or using a temporary/private profile can remove progress.

When a storage error appears, use Retry and resolve storage access before closing the page. See Saves & updates.

The Drakan title screen running in Chrome, with Load Game greyed out — The browser build at its title screen. A new site or browser profile starts with no saves, so Load Game is greyed out.

Feature differences

The browser uses the shared WebGPU renderer through the browser's own WebGPU. Modern menus, PC Settings, quicksave / quickload (F5 / F8), narration subtitles, modern bow aim and the FPS counter (F2) work as on Windows; DLSS and hardware (DXR) ray tracing are Windows only, and widescreen and the modern Tab inventory are Windows only for now. See Platforms & portability.