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I'm early in development working on a game in HTML5/JavaScript canvas, and I wondering if porting the game with some HTML/JS to .EXE converter would allowed it to be posted on consoles?

I think it should be possible, since Downwell(though made with an entirely different language) is a .EXE file, and is available on Switch and Playstation.

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Probably not.

Ultimately it will depend on what the "converter" tool does, but generally they operate by either:

  • translating calls from one API to another (generally the OS API). The OS API for consoles is not generally public, so there are generally very few tools that could make such a conversion

  • embedding a runtime for the original language/technology into the executable along with the original version of the game as data for that runtime; this requires a runtime to be available for the target platform (the consoles), which is often not the case

Certainly it would be possible for you to port your game, but you will likely need to do more legwork than simply running it through a "converter." Unless such a path was already blazed for you, by other developers or the platform vendor, but that depends on the platform and your technology and the licensing agreements you have as a developer for the console.

The ".exe" file format in particular (Portable Executable) is fairly specific to Windows platforms.

The version of Downwell available on the Switch and the PlayStation platforms was likely re-built for the port to those platforms.

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  • \$\begingroup\$ What sort of legwork? Would I have to re-create it in another language, or find some application that allows for what I'm trying to do? \$\endgroup\$
    – user124517
    Commented Mar 10, 2019 at 16:38
  • \$\begingroup\$ @Vakore because console APIs are usually protected behind NDAs, this might not be a question we can answer for you in a public forum. If you're serious about developing for a specific console, you should explore becoming a registered developer for that platform. This will give you access to their API documentation, and often non-public channels for solving development issues closely tied to the console's internals. \$\endgroup\$
    – DMGregory ♦
    Commented Mar 10, 2019 at 17:19
  • \$\begingroup\$ @Vakore It really depends. In the worst case scenario, if there is no feasible way to get the tools or runtime for your language to output for or function on the target platform, then yes, rewriting the program entirely may be the only option. Probably you won't need to resort to that, but it still may not be easy work. \$\endgroup\$
    – user1430
    Commented Mar 10, 2019 at 17:37

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