Google Stadia‘s cloud streaming service, the last remnant of the platform’s original technology, has also been shut down.

When Google Stadia was killed earlier this year, it was stated that parts of the project’s cloud infrastructure would be used across Google Cloud, and would be offered to third-party companies interested in the technology.

Now, Axios reporter Stephen Totilo reports that this final pivot has also been shut down. Since the repositioning of the Cloud streaming tech, it had been used in limited ways, such as AT&T customers being offered a streamed version of Batman: Arkham Knight with certain packages.

The technology was also used by non-gaming companies such as fitness giant Peloton to offer gamified versions of their workouts via the cloud, but that has also now been shut down.

Announcing the Stadia closure plans in September 2022, platform general manager Phil Harrison admitted that the service hadn’t gained the traction with users that Google expected following its November 2019 launch.

“A few years ago, we also launched a consumer gaming service, Stadia. 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.”

At the time of the closure’s announcement, Google also confirmed that it intended to refund all Stadia hardware purchases made through the Google Store, and all game and add-on content purchases made through the Stadia store.

Stadia’s closure followed its decision to close all its internal game development teams in 2021, which at the time it claimed was made in order to focus on partnering with third-party studios.

That decision was followed by several high-profile departures. They included former Stadia games boss Jade Raymond, who left to form a new studio called Haven, which is backed by PlayStation and has since hired six more former Stadia employees.



Posted: Mar 15, 2023 12:34 pm
Related Forum: PC Gaming Forum

Source: https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/google-stadias-cloud-service-has-also-been-shut-down/