Google Stadia will shut down servers on January 18. The company is expected to refund users.
When it comes to the game business, no matter how idealistically we may approach it, making money has always been and will always be its most important point. No matter how innovative and groundbreaking a solution is – if it doesn’t sell, it won’t be developed. In such a way, a lot of technologies that have never caught on and a lot of seemingly big companies with good solutions had to go out of business due to low interest. The latest “innovation” in the industry is streaming technology. On paper, it seems like a great solution – who wouldn’t want to play AAA games without having to carry powerful hardware with them everywhere? But the truth is that streaming has had its huge set of problems, and of all the companies that offer it, Google and its Stadia were the strongest example.
That’s why, after three years, Google is ending it. Stadia is about to end its existence
Google Stadia had a lot of problems – a smaller library of games, quality problems and low interest in the service compared to its two biggest competitors – PS Plus and Xbox Game Pass. That’s why the project was already predicted to be shut down a few months ago, but then Google demented these, as it turned out true rumours. Those who have been following the topic, have since noticed additional changes, including mass layoffs of people associated with the project, which was a clear signal that the end of Stadia will come sooner or later.
Thus, Stadia joins the huge number of projects that Google has undertaken, only to kill them in a moment. In this case, however, users (supposedly) are to be safe, because Google is to refund 100 per cent of the costs they incurred, ie the purchase of equipment and games and add-ons on the platform (but, as far as I understand, not the amount of the subscription itself). If you are a Stadia user – you can play your titles until January 18. After that date, the servers will be shut down forever.
The whole project has been in question for a long time, and Google’s actions are grist to the mill for opponents of streaming and such an approach to the market and the future of video games.
