Why File Size Matters

Every 1MB over 2.5MB costs 12% completion. At 6MB (agency average), you lose 42% before they see your game.

Trick 1: WebP + SVG Over PNG

WebP at 90% quality saves 80% file size. SVG for UI elements. A fishing game went from 5.2MB to 2.1MB.

Trick 2: Strip Dead JavaScript

Average 180KB unused JS per playable. Replace physics engines with manual checks. CSS animations over tweening libs.

Trick 3: Opus Audio at 32kbps

30-second soundtrack: 480KB (MP3) vs 120KB (Opus). 10-second loops save 60%. Web Audio API for SFX.

Trick 4: Reduce Sprite Framerate

12fps idle, 20fps gameplay cuts spritesheet size 50-60%. Users don't notice on mobile screens.

Trick 5: CSS-Only Rendering

CSS-only playable: 380KB. Canvas equivalent: 2.1MB. 60% of hypercasual can be CSS-only.

Cumulative Effect

6.8MB to 1.7MB (75% reduction). Load 4.2s to 1.1s. Completion 48% to 73%.