Why is Google shutting down cloud-based gaming platform Stadia?
Google informed that all progress the users have made in a game on Google Stadia will inevitably be lost.
Google has announced that it is shutting down the cloud-based gaming service ‘Google Stadia’ after nearly three years of its launch. “We’ve made the difficult decision to begin winding down our Stadia streaming service,” Google wrote in a blog post informing about the wrap up.
Google said players will continue to have access to its game library and will play until January 18, 2023, before they can complete their final play session.
Sharing more details on a support page, Google clarified that all progress you’ve made in a game on Google Stadia will inevitably be lost, as most games available on Google’s platform do not support cross-progress play on other platforms.
Stadia Pro subscription not eligible for refund
Google also said that it will refund all Stadia hardware purchases made through the Google Store, and all game and add-on content made through the Stadia Store. The company expects to complete most refunds by mid-January 2023. Google Stadia Vice President and General Manager Phil Spencer wrote in a blog post, “We are grateful to the dedicated Stadia players who have been with us from the beginning.”
However, Stadia Pro subscriptions will not be eligible for a refund. The company also said that players will be able to continue playing their game in Pro till the last wind down date with no further charges.
“Players who had an active Stadia Pro subscription as of September 29, 2022 will not be charged for access to their Pro Library or other subscription entitlements,” the company wrote in its support page.
Why did the company decide to stop the gaming service?
Google said that this move has come because its gaming service did not get the traction as it had expected. Significantly, Google stopped internal game development for the gaming service last year. And now, it has finally shut down Google Stadia.
Google Stadia will join a long list of products such as Google+, Google Currents, Google Hangouts, Google Auto, and Google Play Music that have been discontinued by Google in the past.