No one knows for certain why io was chosen as the domain, but it's likely because most.com domains, such as Agar or Cell, have already been taken, and io is also an abbreviation for a variety of technical terms, such as Input/Output, Information Operation, or Information Object. You know how much jargon coders and nerds adore. Let's be honest: io just sounds cool. Remember that io games are a genre, not a domain, and we publish many games with names that do not include the.io domain.

So, we know where the term "io" comes from and what it does not mean, but what exactly is an io game?

We've come up with the most comprehensive definition of an io game yet: an io game  is a free to play, browser-based, casual game which has a multiplayer component, very few mechanisms, and minimalist graphics.

This definition may appear broad, but when used as a checklist when evaluating a game, the truth emerges.

The only one of these seven features that could be stretched a little further is the section on graphics. While 2-D minimalist graphics were a hallmark of early io games, we're seeing an increase in 3-D games, particularly those of the First Person Shooter variety. To be fair, in a world where photorealistic console games are the norm, even most io games' pixel bit animation would be considered minimalist. It all comes down to perspective.

It's also worth noting that io games are not the first major revolution in desktop gaming. Let us not forget Flash's glory days. But, alas, Flash was a one-of-a-kind, proprietary program. One that had to be downloaded and set up. And by the end, Flash games had become popular.

For example, there are numerous multi-player games available, but they are not free. There are many free games available, but they are not browser-based. There are many browser-based games available, but none of them are multiplayer. It's not so much the seven individual features I mentioned earlier as they are in combination with one another.

io games are also not the first online multiplayer games. Massive Multiplayer Online Games (MMOGs) had been a mainstay of the internet for years, dating back to Ultima Online in the mid-1990s.

Again, the real innovation with io games was that they did not require the user to download any proprietary software or programs, that they were free to play, and that they could be picked up without reading complicated rule sets. Finally, the true distinguishing feature of an io game is that they are all essentially battle royales. It turns out that once you have the ability to bring together players from all over the world in a single room, the first and only thing anyone wants to do is blow each other up.

That is completely understandable.We've compiled a list of what we believe to be the best io games available, and we're sharing it with you in our new io games section. We hope you enjoy them as much as we do, and perhaps you'll be inspired to make your own! In any case, keep playing and let us know what you think about io games, addicting games, and gaming in general