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Forums - Gaming Discussion - Google Stadia closes internal studios and change business focus

From Kotaku

The company is announcing the news today, though Kotaku began to hear rumblings from sources close to Stadia last week that Google’s service was heading for a major change. One games industry source told Kotaku that Google was canceling multiple projects, basically any games slated for release beyond a specific 2021 window, though they believed games close to release would still come out. Today brings some clarification.

Google will close its two game studios, located in Montreal and Los Angeles. That closure will impact around 150 developers, one source familiar with Stadia operations said. The company says it will try to find those developers new roles at Google.

Jade Raymond, the veteran producer who helped build Assassin’s Creed for Ubisoft and moved on to EA several years ago before leaving to run game creation at Stadia, is exiting the company, according to Google.

Google will continue to operate the Stadia gaming service and its $10 monthly Stadia Pro service. It’s unclear how many, if any, exclusive games will still come to the service, though the company has indicated that it can still sign new games. It nevertheless will look to many like a draw down of the plan to have Stadia run as a bona fide competitor to console platforms.

https://kotaku.com/google-stadia-shuts-down-internal-studios-changing-bus-1846146761/amp?__twitter_impression=true



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Stadia was an interesting prospect, but with little to no features for well over a year after launch, to not only having to pay a monthly subscription, but still having to buy the games?! It was a no from me right from the start when there's Geforce Now and xCloud as much better options



I don't think this necessarily means the end of Stadia, their 1st party studios were starting from zero with no recognisable IPs or reknown teams. Shifting all focus to working with 3rd parties makes absolute sense given the current cost of AAA games.



I kept saying it would be dead within 2 years and people kept arguing otherwise. Here we are. Another one to add to Killedbygoogle.com

Also kept saying how Phil Harrison is a death knell to system launches. Why I hate these cloud services. They can shut down and lose your content.

Last edited by Leynos - on 01 February 2021

Bite my shiny metal cockpit!

It seems that Daddy Google wants to take Stadia to a tour around the family graveyard.



My (locked) thread about how difficulty should be a decision for the developers, not the gamers.

https://gamrconnect.vgchartz.com/thread.php?id=241866&page=1

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When Stadia shuts down and imo it will, all those people who paid for the games will not only lose the games that they paid for... But will also lose any and all progress!

Reasons why I will never touch cloud gaming unless it's an optional add on like xCloud or Geforce Now.



                  

PC Specs: CPU: 7800X3D || GPU: Strix 4090 || RAM: 32GB DDR5 6000 || Main SSD: WD 2TB SN850

Did these studios actually produce anything?



noname2200 said:

Did these studios actually produce anything?

Disappointment.



Bite my shiny metal cockpit!

I find it very hard to trust Google for anything other than search, email, and fiber. And that last one is only because I am in the Kansas City area.



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Stadia's not fully dead yet, but this is a blow to it.



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