Google has formally denied a rumor that its Stadia (opens in new tab) gaming service will quickly be closed down, saying that it’s nonetheless “engaged on bringing extra nice video games to the platform.”
Stadia, Google’s cloud-based gaming service, has been underneath one type of deathwatch or one other virtually from the beginning, due to confused advertising and marketing (opens in new tab) campaigns, studies of technical issues (opens in new tab), and the absence of some very primary performance (opens in new tab) at launch. The state of affairs grew extra overtly dire in early 2021, when Stadia’s Jade Raymond-led inner improvement studio was shuttered (opens in new tab).
That will not less than partially clarify why a rumor posted yesterday on the Killed by Google (opens in new tab) Twitter feed, attributed to an nameless buddy of a regional Google supervisor, attracted a lot consideration.
“Lengthy story brief Google is starting their exit plan,” the message says. “They didn’t have an actual date that finish of service will occur, however they did say by the top of summer time. He additionally talked about that they won’t be transferring their companies or servers to every other competitors per se, and it is going to be very like they did with Google Play Music, similar exit strategy and technique.”
“He additionally talked about that every one members would be told 30-60 days earlier than, and that the final month of service will likely be refunded and no cost for its utilization. Additionally, any accessible subscription months will likely be refunded totally to your linked checking account.”
Like all good rumors, it is skinny and untraceable, however accommodates simply sufficient element and connection to on-the-ground actuality to be plausible. Naturally it sparked loads of conversations: Many within the Gaming Leaks and Rumors (opens in new tab) subreddit accepted the report as true (and inevitable), whereas the official Stadia subreddit (opens in new tab) was understandably extra doubtful. However Stadia stated on Twitter that it simply is not so.
Stadia isn’t shutting down. Relaxation assured we’re all the time engaged on bringing extra nice video games to the platform and Stadia Professional. Tell us you probably have different questions.July 29, 2022
“Stadia isn’t shutting down,” the official Stadia account stated in reply to a person who requested whether it is closing quickly. “Relaxation assured we’re all the time engaged on bringing extra nice video games to the platform and Stadia Professional.”
That makes it official, and loads of individuals who I’ve to imagine are Stadia house owners expressed their aid within the replies. However not everybody was satisfied:
The doubt is comprehensible: A Kotaku (opens in new tab) report from earlier this yr stated that only one week earlier than closing the Stadia Video games and Leisure improvement studio, Stadia common supervisor Phil Harrison had despatched an e-mail to its employees praising the “nice progress” they have been making.