In context: In what’s extra proof that you simply should not consider nameless on-line rumors, Google has confirmed it’s not planning on shutting down its Stadia sport streaming service this summer time. The tech big says it’s engaged on bringing extra “nice video games” to the platform, although it is comprehensible why studies of Stadia’s demise had been so convincing.
The rumor stems from a few posts by the identical person on a Stadia fan group on Fb. They had been reprinted by Cody Ogden from the Killed by Google Twitter account, a part of the web site, additionally known as Killed by Google, which lists the 267 apps, providers, and items of {hardware} the corporate has shuttered through the years.
— Killed by Google 🌻🇺🇦 (@killedbygoogle) July 28, 2022
The messages declare an previous pal of the poster who’s now a Google regional supervisor was knowledgeable about Stadia’s upcoming demise at a seminar in California over the weekend. “They didn’t have an actual date that finish of service will occur, however they did say by the top of summer time. He additionally talked about that they won’t be transferring their providers or servers to every other competitors per se, and will probably be very similar to they did with Google Play Music, identical exit method and technique,” they learn.
The posts additionally allege that Stadia members would learn of the service’s closure 30 to 60 days earlier than it shutters, and the final month of utilization can be refunded, as would any remaining months.
Google quickly responded to a query about Stadia’s rumored closure with, “Stadia will not be shutting down. Relaxation assured we’re at all times engaged on bringing extra nice video games to the platform and Stadia Professional. Tell us you probably have different questions.”
Stadia will not be shutting down. Relaxation assured we’re at all times engaged on bringing extra nice video games to the platform and Stadia Professional. Tell us you probably have different questions.
— Stadia ☁️🎮 (@GoogleStadia) July 29, 2022
Android Police studies that the moderator of the Fb group the place the posts originated tweeted that the person who wrote them, who makes use of the identify Donny Jepp, had been “making snide posts about Stadia for months” and was banned.
Google used the eye to its benefit, selling a free-to-play weekend for journey platformer Wavetale by repeating the identical “previous co-worker of mine” line.
Only a heads up
Previous coworker of mine is now one of many social managers for Google. They’d a fairly large seminar in California this previous weekend, and lengthy story quick you now can play Wavetale at no further value on Stadia Professional till August 1: https://t.co/2O6P0Kd8Kd pic.twitter.com/Hjo0pvARKx
— Stadia ☁️🎮 (@GoogleStadia) July 29, 2022
Some Twitter customers aren’t shopping for Google’s claims that not one of the rumors are true, and you may see why. When Stadia was introduced in 2019, Google believed it might reshape the gaming trade and even substitute consoles and gaming PCs altogether, regardless of so many earlier cloud-based gaming providers failing to make a huge effect or ultimately disappearing.
From day one, builders talked about fears that Google might cancel Stadia. Preliminary critiques had been lower than glowing, there have been lacking options and efficiency points, and a few devs believed Google merely overpromised. However essentially the most ominous signal got here in February final 12 months when Google closed down its first-party Stadia sport studio and product head John Justice left a couple of months later.
This is not the primary time Google has needed to guarantee folks Stadia is alive and properly. With tech firms struggling within the face of financial uncertainty and demand for video games and merchandise falling, one has to marvel how lengthy the service will stick round.