What Does the Closure of Google Stadia Imply for Cloud Gaming?

Stadia, Google’s cloud gaming platform introduced a few years ago, is scheduled to be taken down early next year. The program once had high ambitions for its debut, including a connection with an in-built studio that would produce unique games for its users. Unfortunately, all that has failed.

This post reviews the history of Google Stadia and how it fluctuated over time. Before that, let’s understand a few things about this gaming platform. Shall we?

What is Google Stadia?

The Google Stadia platform is a cloud gaming service whose functionality is comparable to other cloud gaming platforms. The program involves gaming via internet service. The Stadia gaming services function totally over the internet, as opposed to traditionally played games that are wholly operated on the user’s mobile device or gaming computer.

The gaming execution, including features that respond to your commands, is carried out on Google’s cloud computing systems rather than your system or device. You’ll then get the gaming output after it has been sent from this location.

Consider a series of long cables connecting your mouse, monitor, gamepad, and keyboard to a CPU panel at a Google data center a great distance away. This will help you comprehend how this works. 

In cloud gaming, your computer is freed from performing heavy work, which is particularly helpful for video games that need resources. This is a simplified explanation of the cloud gaming operation. You do not require an advanced system for this operation. You only need a reliable internet service to sustain rapid and massive data transmissions.

Is Cloud Gaming a Promising Gaming Platform?

Players who wish to game but don’t want to spend much time building a powerful gaming rig — that requires regular upkeep and can rack up high utility bills — can take advantage of cloud gameplay. With reliable internet service, your device can play a cloud game, which means it will be processed somewhere while you watch it on your screen.

The concept has gained significant traction in the recent past. In addition to Google Stadia, we now have a variety of cloud-based gaming platforms available, including; Luna, GeForce Now, Xbox, PlayStation Plus, and other cloud gaming services. Although they are not all accessible in every part of the globe, many countries still support them.

In previous years, a more significant number of gamers had a much slower internet connection than today. Today, there is the accessibility of 5G in many locations and a rapid acceleration of connection speeds. As a result, it has allowed a far larger population to participate in cloud gaming.

Furthermore, the service also comes with additional benefits. You can play on all devices and pick up where you left off on any other compatible system. You can complete part of your game on your computer from your apartment and run the other part of the game on your phone from somewhere else. In other words, you don’t need to transport anything to another location.

Why Did Google Stadia Fail?

Users could sign up for Google Stadia and begin gaming even if they did not have the requisite hardware when it was first launched in November 2019. It was possible, even though there were some early issues with the platform. In addition, the server performance of Stadia was superior to other competitors. 

But, within the first year of its inception, things immediately began to move in a negative direction. This was due to a combination of technical challenges, the absence of some services, and, most significantly, an insufficient number of users.

According to a report made by Engadget, Google stated that the program hadn’t achieved the momentum with consumers that the firm anticipated it would. However, this has been the situation for some time now.

In 2021, Google announced that it would shut down its in-house game creation studio, specifically designed to produce unique games for the Stadia platform. Many people started predicting that the service would be discontinued after the relocation. However, Google stayed to operate Stadia and transformed it into a central platform on which other users would access their games.

In March, Google also introduced a new version of the software called Immersive Stream. This version was made available for licensing to third parties. Google stated that it envisions “a great opportunity to use this innovation throughout other platforms,” including Google Play, Augmented Reality (AR), and YouTube.

How Will Stadia Members Operate?

Because Google has discontinued both the Stadia Store and in-game purchases, current members of Stadia will no longer have access to their subscriptions with the platform. Anybody who purchases Stadia hardware should have a guarantee of reimbursement. Nevertheless, those who acquired Pro subscriptions will not have a refund. For that reason, they will continue using the Stadia until it’s shut down early next year.

Is Cloud Gaming in Its Last Days?

Even though Stadia is going out of business, its competitors in the cloud gaming space continue to grow and attract new users. According to a report published by Grand View Research, the cloud gaming industry reached a value of $691.6 million this year and is predicted to expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 45.8% from 2022 to 2030. This is undoubtedly the case, given the many advantages the program offers.

Alongside conventional gaming, the report suggests that cloud gaming may have grown during COVID. Even though it has not yet begun to gain traction in many areas due to slowdowns such as network speeds that may result in excessive delays, this could shift shortly because of the implementation of 5G and the desire of individuals to access a reliable internet connection.

The cloud gaming industry may soon be worth one billion dollars, and the acceptance of cloud gaming may depend on its essential advantages, such as eliminating costly hardware requirements, large files, and latency. Furthermore, there is also a financial advantage for enthusiasts who wish to dabble in various gaming categories and formats.