Google Stadia Is Officially Shutting Down!
It would be safe to say that Google Stadia, which is a brand new gaming streaming service, could not garner the same popularity as Xbox Cloud Gaming. A recent announcement, it had sparked some rumors that Google would be shutting down the service and it has now come true.
The End of Google Stadia Is Near!
Phil Harrison, the vice president of Google Stadia, has announced that Stadia will cease to exist on January 18, 2023. It will also offer refunds for Stadia hardware (Stadia Controller, Founders Edition, Premiere Edition, and Play and Watch with Google TV packages) purchased through the Google Store.
Additionally, games and add-on content purchased through the Stadia Store will also be refunded. It is expected that the entire process will be completed by mid-January. However, Stadia Pro subscriptions and purchases made through third-party vendors will not be eligible for a refund.
This shouldn’t come as a surprise since Stadia wasn’t really a game streaming service for gamers. And it was accepted by Google. In an announcement post, Harrison says, “And while Stadia’s approach to streaming games for consumers was built on a strong technology foundation, it hasn’t gained the traction with users that we expected so we’ve made the difficult decision to begin winding down our Stadia streaming service.“
However, it was only recently that Google debunked the rumors about killing Stadia and now three months later, the course has changed! As of last year, Google’s Stadia game studio had been shut down and now it’s time for Stadia.
Google has also shut down the Stadia Store and won’t allow people to buy new games. Future pre-orders will also be canceled. While Stadia users will still have a few months to play the game, Google expects gameplay issues for some titles. For most games, it is also possible to transfer game progress to another platform.
However, that doesn’t mean that Google will shy away from gaming. It will continue to use Stadia’s technology for YouTube, the Google Play Store, and even for its AR venture. Plus, the same will still be provided to third parties like AT&T via immersive streams for the recently announced games.
We are looking forward to what Google will do next in the gaming industry. Please let us know in the comments what you think about Google Stadia closing down.
FAQ:-
Is Stadia being discontinued?
Stadia will be shut down by Google on January 18, 2023, as the service failed to draw in users as planned, though the technology will be integrated into other business areas.
Will I lose Stadia games?
If your Stadia Pro subscription expires, you will lose access to the games you have claimed. If you reactivate your Stadia Pro subscription, you will regain access to the games you previously claimed, and your saved game data will remain intact.
Why is Stadia closing?
Stadia was known as “the Netflix for games” when it launched in November 2019, allowing players to stream games online without a console. But due to a lack of “traction” with gamers, the service will now end on January 18, 2023.
Will Stadia refund games?
Google Stadia is officially shutting down on January 18, 2023. Google will issue a full refund to anyone who has purchased Stadia games, DLC, or hardware. Refunds must be completed by Stadia’s shutdown date, and users will not have to return any hardware.