Whether it evokes good childhood memories of internet games from the zero’s or nightmares about the constant updates, almost every computer user still knows it: Flash Player.
After 25 years and a warning three years ago, software developer Adobe is finally throwing the computer program into the trash today. Flash was used less and less and was regularly faced with security problems.
For years, Flash was one of the most important so-called plugins for online videos, games and other moving elements on the internet. The first version, then still Macromedia Flash Player was released on New Year’s Day 1996.
70.000 games
Originally the program was intended for animation and online design, but not long after, game developers decided to use the software as well.
“Flash is where it all started,” says game journalist Len Maessen. “It was a catalyst: suddenly it was easier to make games.” According to Maessen, Flash games have laid the foundation for the further development of Indiegames. “They were the inspiration for many of today’s games.”
Many older internet games therefore also run on Flash. And that means that as of today thousands of those games will be difficult or impossible to play.
A group of hackers is trying to counter this and started early 2018 already a non-profit project to archive Flash games and keep them safe to play. So far they have done that for more than 70,000 games. Also the website Internet Archive has archived over 2,000 Flash elements.
A well-known Flash game is Line Rider from 2006:
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