In a move that is sure to raise plenty of eyebrows, and worry Stadia supporters, Google has announced they're shutting down SG&E (Stadia Games & Entertainment) and no longer doing first-party games.
They make it clear in the announcement that Stadia as a platform isn't going away, and they believe game streaming is "the future of this industry" and so they will "continue to invest in Stadia and its underlying platform to provide the best cloud gaming experience for our partners and the gaming community". It gets more interesting though, as Google said they will be expanding to "help game developers and publishers take advantage of our platform technology and deliver games directly to their players" and they will be working with partners who want a streaming solution.
Google clearly mention how costly it is to create big AAA games, and as Amazon have seen it doesn't always work out and burns a lot of money. Instead, the focus will be to "focus on building on the proven technology of Stadia as well as deepening our business partnerships" and on that note they mentioned that Jade Raymond has left Google now too.
Sounds like Google are going to be licensing the tech and hardware behind Stadia, while continuing to build up Stadia as a store itself. It makes a lot more sense, as big costly exclusives from Stadia for Stadia won't have enough of a pull to pay-off, whereas pulling in more and more 3rd party popular games will and would cost Google less to do. So, it is the smart move overall. The Stadia tech is good too, and it clearly works so they're doing what they do best in this way.
The thing is, it's another nail in the coffin of the idea Google sold it all on originally. The talk about these huge games that could only work in the cloud, which you're not likely to see from a 3rd party developer since their games will need to run on PC and consoles too most of the time.
So don't expect any Google / Stadia first-party titles after this year, if any of them come out at all. To be clear though, Google note they are "committed to the future of cloud gaming, and will continue to do our part to drive this industry forward" and that the Stadia store will continue bringing in more titles. Still, it won't stop people mentioning the Google Graveyard.
Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.
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Probably they realised that exclusives will never pull as many people as hit games from other studios. Like Cyberpunk 2077.
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apocalyptech Feb 1, 2021
lol - As someone who's supremely skeptical of Google's ability to keep any of their products alive for more than like 3-4 years, it's difficult for me to see this as anything but the first nail in the coffin. Could be I'm wrong, though, but there's still no way in hell I'll pay money to Not Own something that Google seems likely to take away at a moment's notice.
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Mohandevir Feb 2, 2021
Not really worried about this one. Like you said, it was a logical move. Maybe they hit a technological wall about the new tech they wanted to demo and decided it wasn't worth it, for the moment? Who knows?
Personally, I would like to see some form of partnership with Steam to add select games to the Stadia catalogue... Some kind of two way deal, for older Linux native titles or those that runs fine with Proton, available with the pro subscription, maybe?
It's just a wish, probably not a realistic one, I convey.
Last edited by Mohandevir on 2 February 2021 at 12:21 am UTC
Personally, I would like to see some form of partnership with Steam to add select games to the Stadia catalogue... Some kind of two way deal, for older Linux native titles or those that runs fine with Proton, available with the pro subscription, maybe?
It's just a wish, probably not a realistic one, I convey.
Last edited by Mohandevir on 2 February 2021 at 12:21 am UTC
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Paying a monthly fee for access to something and then full price for the games on top, that you could lose access to any moment (if Google shuts Stadia down), vs. MS' finance-an-Xbox initiative where you get their amazing Game Pass deal, to boot (in the US, anyway), and you get to keep the Xbox after it's paid off?
I want more Gaming on Linux, but Stadia isn't it, for me, and MS is way more entrenched, with the better deal, unfortunately.
I want more Gaming on Linux, but Stadia isn't it, for me, and MS is way more entrenched, with the better deal, unfortunately.
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dziadulewicz Feb 2, 2021
RIP, Stadia.
and f*ck you Goolag altogether!
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TheRiddick Feb 2, 2021
It's the whole business model that is the problem. They are offering people a opportunity to RENT games at retail prices, plus a monthly subscription on top. PLUS you need good internet and be close to one of their servers...
It's just not very attractive, at least things like NVIDIA's and Shadow streaming services they let you use other stores if you want and have some bonuses sprinkled in, plus titles you buy are not restricted to just cloud gaming and are not simply rented.
Unless there is massive change in how they do their business model, and also have more local server access points, Stadia is going to have a rough time.
In saying that I'd love to see a open-sourced Stadia development model where anyone can try out their Linux based render tech. That might help dev interests allot..
But atm Google are like 'all your base belong to us', oh and please give us money.... yeah, nope.
None of which is cross-platform, none of which is advertised very well anywhere but on Stadia. Lots of strings attached to that whole package, UNLIKE other steaming platform options!
I challenge people to actually TRY the other options... There are many,.
Last edited by TheRiddick on 2 February 2021 at 3:05 am UTC
It's just not very attractive, at least things like NVIDIA's and Shadow streaming services they let you use other stores if you want and have some bonuses sprinkled in, plus titles you buy are not restricted to just cloud gaming and are not simply rented.
Unless there is massive change in how they do their business model, and also have more local server access points, Stadia is going to have a rough time.
In saying that I'd love to see a open-sourced Stadia development model where anyone can try out their Linux based render tech. That might help dev interests allot..
But atm Google are like 'all your base belong to us', oh and please give us money.... yeah, nope.
You can still pay for and play games without the monthly fee, and sometimes there are even sales.
None of which is cross-platform, none of which is advertised very well anywhere but on Stadia. Lots of strings attached to that whole package, UNLIKE other steaming platform options!
I challenge people to actually TRY the other options... There are many,.
Last edited by TheRiddick on 2 February 2021 at 3:05 am UTC
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In a move that is sure to raise plenty of eyebrows
Did you actually write that with a straight face? Stadia is insanity from the beginning, if it weren’t for our Linux bias we’d all be hooting and dragging it and Google through the mud all along, like everyone else has been doing.
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RandomizedKirbyTree47 Feb 2, 2021
It's the whole business model that is the problem. They are offering people a opportunity to RENT games at retail prices, plus a monthly subscription on top..
No, they aren't. They're giving you the choice between "renting" games for a one time fee (the same way Steam and any other DRM store does), or pay a subscription to get games included with your subscription. They aren't asking you to pay a subscription and pay for the individual price of games. This isn't like Disney+ Premier Access (where to watch certain movies you have to subscribe and pay an extra fee on top). Why the heck do people make this demonstrably false claim every time Stadia comes up?
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Probably they realised that exclusives will never pull as many people as hit games from other studios. Like Cyberpunk 2077.
Nintendo?
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This is why I never payed for it, aside from trying the free trial. It was just a matter of time before Google would do something like this.
Give it some more time and they will just cancel the whole Stadia thing.
Anyway, I will always prefer native gaming. Streaming can't ever meet the visual quality of native gaming.
Give it some more time and they will just cancel the whole Stadia thing.
Anyway, I will always prefer native gaming. Streaming can't ever meet the visual quality of native gaming.
1 Likes, Who?
Feel free to hate on me but I still love my purchase on Stadia.
Bought Cyberpunk 2077 on stadia, that cost 10e/$ less than on Steam/GOG on launch day (cause of the new user discount).
If i wanted to play Cyberpunk2077 on my hardware I would have to spend a few hundreds just to make it be playable (and streamable).
In my eyes that was definitely worth it. Played probably 70hours of it, love it & love the experience.
It just seems they are refocusing on just supporting other developers than to spend much more money just on their own production of games.
I am pretty sure we will see a ton of games coming to Stadia this year and even if it's still the underdog, I totally root for the underdogs.
Bought Cyberpunk 2077 on stadia, that cost 10e/$ less than on Steam/GOG on launch day (cause of the new user discount).
If i wanted to play Cyberpunk2077 on my hardware I would have to spend a few hundreds just to make it be playable (and streamable).
In my eyes that was definitely worth it. Played probably 70hours of it, love it & love the experience.
It just seems they are refocusing on just supporting other developers than to spend much more money just on their own production of games.
I am pretty sure we will see a ton of games coming to Stadia this year and even if it's still the underdog, I totally root for the underdogs.
4 Likes, Who?
The thing is, it's another nail in the coffin of the idea Google sold it all on originally.This! I like Stadia so far - but Google has definitely a trust problem. Such moves don't make it better at all. For a service where I loose absolutely everything if it shuts down trust seems very important to me. So I get uncertain more and more if I should invest further in the platform. What a shame.
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So I guess this is setting free a bunch of developers, now experienced in developing for Linux systems (or having been before they went to Stadia, like the guy from Croteam)...?
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I think that's a smart move, providing the streaming platform and getting a cut of the game price.
They'll just need enough devs/publishers willing to port to Stadia, for that they need a user base which makes it worth porting, and I'm not very confident they do have the userbase yet, or will have in the next few years.
I hope it survives though, being able to play on the TV or PC as I choose is really nice.
They'll just need enough devs/publishers willing to port to Stadia, for that they need a user base which makes it worth porting, and I'm not very confident they do have the userbase yet, or will have in the next few years.
I hope it survives though, being able to play on the TV or PC as I choose is really nice.
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Feel free to hate on me but I still love my purchase on Stadia.
Bought Cyberpunk 2077 on stadia, that cost 10e/$ less than on Steam/GOG on launch day (cause of the new user discount).
If i wanted to play Cyberpunk2077 on my hardware I would have to spend a few hundreds just to make it be playable (and streamable).
In my eyes that was definitely worth it. Played probably 70hours of it, love it & love the experience.
It just seems they are refocusing on just supporting other developers than to spend much more money just on their own production of games.
I am pretty sure we will see a ton of games coming to Stadia this year and even if it's still the underdog, I totally root for the underdogs.
I'm in the same boat here with AC:Valhalla and Cyberpunk. I do not even need my own PC, I can use my work laptop in the evening to play.
I don't regret buying it, but I see a risk of Google shutting down the whole thing at some point (or at least abandon it).
1 Likes, Who?
What bothers me is that this is sending a strong signal that Google itself doesn't believe in investing in Stadia.
Doesn't matter what it actually means, it does matter how it will be perceived.
And I don't really care about the naysayers, I care about game developers that are potentially seeing this as another sign that is not worth bothering with Stadia.
With enough gamers and game developers believing and predicting that Stadia will eventually shutdown, it will became a self fulfilling prophecy.
Doesn't matter what it actually means, it does matter how it will be perceived.
And I don't really care about the naysayers, I care about game developers that are potentially seeing this as another sign that is not worth bothering with Stadia.
With enough gamers and game developers believing and predicting that Stadia will eventually shutdown, it will became a self fulfilling prophecy.
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Arehandoro Feb 2, 2021
We're closing our first party studios.
We're not closing Stadia (for now).
Are there numbers anywhere on how many people signed for the platform, how many are active, how many are Pro subscribers, etc?
We're not closing Stadia (for now).
Are there numbers anywhere on how many people signed for the platform, how many are active, how many are Pro subscribers, etc?
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One thing that is swept under the rug is how Stadia creates division. There was and is no reassurance from Google that they won't make Stadia successful at expense of local play. By that I don't mean they should allow local play on Stadia, I mean them getting exclusivity for games like Epic. Or doing anything else that's not third party exclusivity that won't erode availability or freedom to play games locally. But who cares about others as long as I get what I want right? Stadia is great! I can stream wohooo! Look at my controller in my gym bag! Wohoo!
In my opinion ensuring others are not negatively impacted by Stadia should be a concern by Stadia fans, but it does not seem like it. They largely don't care, and so I don't care. Division among gamers. Driving industry forward. Yeah right...
In my opinion ensuring others are not negatively impacted by Stadia should be a concern by Stadia fans, but it does not seem like it. They largely don't care, and so I don't care. Division among gamers. Driving industry forward. Yeah right...
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