While companies like Amazon are still trying their luck in the cloud gaming service, Google Stadia shutting down because “it hasn’t gained the traction with users.”
Stadia, Google’s cloud gaming service, is being decommissioned. Players will be able to use the service until January 18th, 2023. Google will reimburse any Stadia hardware purchased through the Google Store, as well as all Stadia games and add-on material. Google anticipates that the reimbursements will be finished by mid-January.
Why is Stadia shutting down?
In a blog post, Stadia vice president and general manager Phil Harrison stated:
“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.”
Employees from the Stadia team will be deployed around the organization. Google, according to Harrison, sees chances to adapt Stadia’s technology to other aspects of Google, such as YouTube, Google Play, and its AR projects, and the firm also aims to “make it available to our industry partners, which aligns with where we see the future of gaming headed.”
The refund process
In a FAQ, Google clarified some of the finer elements of the shutdown. Refunds will be sent automatically through the Google and Stadia shops, and you will not be required to return any gear. Stadia Pro memberships will not be refunded, however, you will not be charged during the closure time and will be able to access any titles you may have redeemed as a Pro user until everything is shut down. Google has shut down the Stadia shop, meaning you can’t buy games or make in-game purchases.
The writing has been on the wall for Stadia for quite some time, most notably when Logitech introduced their new cloud gaming portable last week, with Stadia being one of the few cloud gaming providers that were not mentioned. Stadia, on the other hand, has been dogged by speculations of its extinction since its inception. Stadia, a cloud gaming service from a business with scant links to the gaming industry, appeared to be a great candidate for early death.
Rumors circulated last year that it will shut down when the number of games launched on the platform dropped and the business closed its in-house game development facilities. When the reports surfaced again this year, Google insisted that Stadia was not being shut down. “Rest assured we’re always working bringing more great games to the platform and Stadia Pro,” the business said in a tweet. That was true till today.
https://twitter.com/GoogleStadia/status/1552989433590214656
How to get Google Stadia refund?
Because Stadia shutting down, to ensure that you receive your refund, log in to your Google account and visit the Google Pay page. Check that all of your payment information is up to date. The specifics are limited, but Google will almost certainly reimburse your money to the same payment method you used to purchase everything.
If the card you used to purchase your Stadia products is no longer active, or if you used a gift card, you may need to go through a separate process. It may take longer if you live outside of the United States. Google maintains that most consumers would receive reimbursements by the end of Stadia’s service in January. They’ll be sending out an email with further information to subscribers shortly, so keep a lookout for that.
We hope that you enjoyed this article on Google Stadia shutting down. If you did, we are sure that you will also enjoy reading some of our other articles, such as Google’s DreamBooth AI is here and going for the AI artwork throne, or Amazon Luna, Stadia’s competitor, to support 720p resolution for slower connections.
