It started with a dice
Chess is complicated. Intimidating. Gate-kept. A child sits down across from an adult and the game is almost decided before it begins.
Then add one dice. The playing field levels. A lucky roll and the child takes an expert's queen. The room erupts. The game becomes fun again.
That dice roll is the founding myth of Better Than HTML. Not a rule, not a constraint — a reminder of what games are for.
And because in 1984, a game called Elite made a 12-year-old learn BASIC just to understand how it was possible. The open hood is the whole point.
Why HTML?
The name is a provocation. HTML is dismissed as "just a webpage." BTH argues the opposite: a single .html file is the most portable, forkable, readable, and universal game format ever created. It runs everywhere. It installs nowhere. A human can read it. An AI can read it. A grandparent and grandchild can play together on equal terms.
Can a first-time player have a genuinely good moment within their first five minutes? Not necessarily win. Not necessarily understand everything. Just — a moment that makes them smile, laugh, or say "wow." If yes, the game belongs on BTH.
Who built this?
BTH is being built at the exact moment when humans and AIs are figuring out how to work together. Most platforms hide AI involvement. BTH makes it visible, normal, and credited.
Roadmap
https://games.betterthanhtml.com/{gameId}.html
Point your WebView at this URL pattern. Games are self-contained — they work offline once cached. QR code deep links use the same URL structure. If you're building this, get in touch.
The licence
Better Than HTML platform code: CC BY 4.0. You can fork, remix, and build on it — just credit the lineage. Individual games carry their own credits and are owned by their creators. The BTH Standard is open and free to implement.
Contact
Built in Horsham, West Sussex, UK. March 2026. Email: [email protected]