If there was a company with the potential to launch a cloud gaming service, it was Google. However, when the company announced Google Stadia, the format quickly became obsolete. Microsoft and NVIDIA launched more reliable services that did not require large investments. You can simply start playing from your smartphone. Google Stadia, on the other hand, requires so that you pay for games and receive a specific Stadia controller. The service also had other lackluster aspects, but in any case, they are gone.
It was inevitable, after all, Google was showing a certain lack of interest in its own service. Yesterday, the company finally announced that it is shutting down Google Stadia in 2023. The search giant promises to refund money for game purchases. However, Ubisoft offers an alternative for some users. The French studio is known for its support of Google Stadia, quickly offering some of the most important games.
Ubisoft offers an alternative for those who got their games on Google Stadia
If you bought any of the Ubisoft games on Google Stadia, you can transfer those games to PC. Ubisoft offers almost its entire portfolio on Stadia. That's why games like Assassins Creed Odyssey, Valhalla and Far Cry 6 are available on Google Stadia. Ubisoft offers a way to transfer your "game license" to your own library. So you will have a license to download these games and play them on PC.
However, the company did not directly mention when exactly players will be able to do this. However, it may get more details at some point. The company's senior manager of corporate communications, Jessica Roach, left the following statement:
“While Google Stadia will be shutting down on January 18, 2023, we're excited to announce that we're currently working on bringing your Stadia games to PC via Ubisoft Connect. We will share more details later, as well as the impact on Ubisoft+ subscribers.”
However, it may not be interesting for everyone. After all, Google Stadia is a cloud gaming service where you don't need hardware. What Ubisoft is offering here assumes you have a PC with the hardware to enjoy this game. So we assume that there are dozens of subscribers without the necessary equipment to use this alternative. Well, for them, the Google way might be even more interesting. The company will offer refunds to all customers.
Google will offer refunds for all Stadia hardware purchased through the Google Store. Additionally, it will refund all game purchases and pre-orders. This includes additional content from the Stadia Store. The only non-refundable purchase is the Stadia Pro subscription.
The company will inform its users by e-mail. Also, he will update the support page with details soon. While the service will work. However, this will end on January 18, 2023. Google wants to process all refunds by mid-January 2023. The Stadia development team will join other roles at the search giant.
A cloud gaming service like never before
It's definitely a sad end for a company that had potential. At least we believed in the potential of Google. After all, this is a search for a giant, a pioneer of many interesting technologies, as well as a strong company in cloud solutions. Unfortunately, Google Stadia's offering quickly became obsolete when competition emerged. As we said before, Xbox Cloud Gaming and NVIDIA GeForce Now are quickly becoming very reliable and stable cloud gaming services. The NVIDIA platform, for example, can already offer games at a speed of 144 frames per second.
We don't know if Google will rejoin this segment. But after this great failure, we do not have high hopes. The company will probably put Google Stadia in the same graveyard where Orkut, Google+ and other failures are buried.
