Google shuts down Stadia gaming service: All details

Phil Harrison, Vice President and General Manager at Stadia, said in a blog post, that the underlying technology platform that powers Stadia will be used to bolster Google services, like YouTube, Google Play, and Augmented Reality (AR). The blog reads, “We remain deeply committed to gaming, and we will continue to invest in new tools, technologies and platforms that power the success of developers, industry partners, cloud customers and creators.”

On a different FAQ page, Google said that most hardware purchases (Stadia Controller, Founders Edition, Premiere Edition and Play and Watch with Google TV packages) made directly from Google will not need to be returned. More details on how to obtain a refund for your Stadia hardware purchase will be provided in the coming weeks.

The fall of the Stadia was also seemed to be prominent after Google had shut down the internal development team SG&E.

Google introduced Stadia in 2019, this gaming service was anticipated to make a big name in the industry, which is being dominated by giants like Sony and Microsoft. It also promised a simple user experience but most of its services were not ready yet. However, its revenue model was perplexing to many as several titles had to be purchased a la carte. In contrast, services like Microsoft Game Press demand monthly or annual payment and offer a host of titles ready to play. Unlike Microsoft, Stadia also failed to attract amateur or professional players without any big titles.

Google announced the closure of the Stadia department at a time when companies are looking at ways to reduce spending amid rising inflation. Google has also slowed down hiring for the rest of the year.