Well, we can’t say we didn’t see it coming — Google is shutting down cloud gaming service Stadia in just a few short months, come mid-January of next year. This comes less than three years after the launch of the service in November 2019. Google will be refunding all Stadia purchases made through the Google Store or Stadia Store, whether it be hardware, software, or DLC. Stadia team employees will be shifted to other parts of Google, and the company hopes to use Stadia technology for YouTube, Google Play, and AR.
Stadia was a punchline from practically its announcement, attracting many naysayers for a multitude of reasons — cloud gaming has been attempted for nearly a decade within the industry but remains unattractive to the vast majority of consumers (due to inadequate internet connections and a question of necessity), Google didn’t have many ties to the gaming industry for such an ambitious technology, and the company has a notoriety for shutting down projects only a few years after release (just look at killedbygoogle.com). Last year, the company closed its in-house game development studio, and despite claims to the contrary, it was the beginning of the end.
Players can continue to access games and services until January 18th. Google hopes to have the majority of refunds completed by mid-January. Stay tuned for any other details and updates.
Source: Google | Via: The Verge
Leave a Comment
Written by Amelia Fruzzetti
A writer and Nintendo fan based in Seattle, Washington. When not working for NinWire, she can be found eating pasta, writing stories, and wondering about when Mother 3 is finally going to get an official localization.
