Distributing Games on Fractal
Fractal currently offers two ways of distributing games. If your game targets browser, you can link your game via the "Launch Game" button located on your game page. If your game is a downloadable desktop client, you can distribute it to the players using Fractal launcher. You can use both distribution methods simultaneously to target both desktop and the web.
Seamless sign-in - If you implement Fractal Authentication in your game, when players launch the game, they will be automatically logged in to their Fractal account using both distribution methods.
"Launch Game" Button
If your game is web-based, you can link it to Fractal using the "Launch Game" button. This will allow players to launch your game directly from the Fractal website using a web browser.
Fractal Launcher
Fractal Launcher is a desktop application that allows players to download and play games from Fractal. It is available for both Windows and MacOS. The launcher handles the game installation and automatic incremental updates. Optionally, you can distribute your binary privately to your team members or a limited number of players to test your game before publishing it to the public with Fractal's access codes feature.
Web-based games are also listed on the Fractal launcher. In that case, the launcher will open the game in a default browser window.
Incremental updates - Fractal Launcher uses a delta patching algorithm to download only the changes between the current version and the new version of the game. This allows for faster downloads and less bandwidth usage.
Third-party / Custom Launcher
If your game has a custom launcher, you can still link it to the "Launch Game" button. In that case, when players click on the button, they will be redirected to your website, where they can download the game.
This approach is not recommended, and we suggest you upload your game to Fractal and distribute it using Fractal Launcher if possible. Games that use custom launchers will not be eligible to receive a Fractal verification badge.