Google has announced that they've now begun the process to refund years of Stadia game purchases, as the service is shutting down.
In the updated FAQ entry, Google noted:
Starting 9 November 2022, Stadia will attempt to automatically process refunds for all purchases of games, add-on content and subscription fees other than Stadia Pro made through the Stadia Store. We ask for your patience as we work through each transaction and ask that you refrain from contacting customer support as they will not be able to expedite your refund during this time. We still expect the majority of refunds to be processed by 18 January 2023.
Google said if you don't have a Google account now, they will still process the refund. If there are any card issues (lost / stolen / new card), you should at some point receive an email giving you instructions on how to still get your Stadia refund. They also said some people may need to sign up with Payoneer to get their refund, in some special cases where they cannot process it directly.
The same date has been given for Hardware purchases which include the Stadia Controller, Founder's Edition, Premiere Edition and Play and Watch with Google TV packages but you keep the hardware after the refund.
Sadly though, it seems there's still no update on them enabling Bluetooth in the Stadia Controller so it's wired-only which is a pretty big shame if they don't do it. It's a really comfy controller to use but they are under no obligation to enable Bluetooth, since they're refunding the hardware completely. At least I own a bit of weird computing history now…
As for moving progress from Stadia to elsewhere they said that Ubisoft, Bungie, I/O Interactive, CD Projekt Red, Rockstar Games and Bethesda have already shared plans on that but it's down to each developer and publisher to sort it.
Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.
Quoting: GuestHow did they solve lag problems, by increasing the speed of light? It is impossible to solve latency with anything, except placing the server nearby your location.Well, yeah. As I understand it, Google took advantage of the fact that they already have server farms near most people's location--to serve you ads, do the search and stuff.
Last edited by Purple Library Guy on 11 November 2022 at 11:22 pm UTC
mr-victory Nov 12, 2022
Quoting: pbI wonder if I will still be able to play until Jan 18th if I receive the refund(s) earlier. Currently at ~80% in RDR2.https://9to5google.com/2022/09/30/how-to-export-download-game-saves-stadia/
You can export game saves, I don't know if they are compatible with PC builds of a game though.
Quoting: mr-victoryQuoting: pbI wonder if I will still be able to play until Jan 18th if I receive the refund(s) earlier. Currently at ~80% in RDR2.https://9to5google.com/2022/09/30/how-to-export-download-game-saves-stadia/
You can export game saves, I don't know if they are compatible with PC builds of a game though.
Yeah, Rockstar has already announced it will be possible to transfer the progress in Red Dead Online to another platform, but I don't know if it also applies to story mode, we'll see. Maybe I will manage to 100% it before stadia shuts down and won't have to rebuy it on steam. I don't particularly care about the multiplayer part or finding all collectibles etc.
hardpenguin Nov 12, 2022
Quoting: Guest<anti cloud gaming blabber>You do realize that locally installable games are here to stay regardless of the cloud gaming success?
Quoting: hardpenguinYou seem very sure. But as the great Yogi Berra said, "It's tough to make predictions, especially about the future." On top of that, the thing about cloud gaming is that it becomes far more lucrative than locally installable games if, and only if, locally installable games are pretty much not a thing. So Very Rich People have an incentive to try to make that happen.Quoting: Guest<anti cloud gaming blabber>You do realize that locally installable games are here to stay regardless of the cloud gaming success?
Sure, probably they won't be able to manage it. Probably. But I don't like that kind of bet.
Quoting: hardpenguinYou do realize that locally installable games are here to stay regardless of the cloud gaming success?Like store-independent game patches that you can install when you want? Or mobile phones that can actually be used to make a phone call. Antibiotics/pain killers/other important drugs that can be produced in the EU.
Everything more or less a thing of the past because someone wanted to make a quick buck.
Quoting: hardpenguinQuoting: Guest<anti cloud gaming blabber>You do realize that locally installable games are here to stay regardless of the cloud gaming success?
You must have a crystal ball. You can't deny the constant, ongoing trend toward removal of personal ownership. As far as I'm concerned anything that pushes back against that being normalized is a good thing.
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