Google's video game streaming platform, Stadia, was launched with much fanfare in 2019. The idea of being able to play high-performance games on any device, without the need for expensive hardware, was an exciting prospect. However, the platform's rise was short-lived, and it was announced that it would be shutting down in December 2021.
The shut-down of Stadia hasn't really come as a surprise. Google was initially a little withholding of the platform's streaming formula, but once people learnt that it wasn't the 'Netflix for games' they envisioned, the idea immediately felt less appealing. Add to that Google's notorious habit of starting off projects and abandoning them at the first sign of inconvenience. While, the platform won't be direly missed as such, the few who put in the hours will surely feel short-changed – especially with live service games.
It seems Destiny 2 developer Bungie wants to hold on to the handful of Guardians who have decided to play the game via streaming platforms. While the developer shut down its Stadia servers well over a week ago, the platform itself shuttered barely three days ago. Bungie took the opportunity to try and sway these players onto another video game streaming platform, Nvidia GeForce Now. As spotted by 9to5Google, all those who've played Destiny 2 on Stadia should have received an email from Bungie saying, "With Stadia shut down, you might be looking for a new place to cloud game. We managed to snag some free codes for Nvidia’s high-performance cloud gaming platform, GeForce Now." Each email also included a unique code, giving the user one month free access to GeForce Now Priority. So, if you were worried that you'd have to switch to a PC or a traditional console, just go through your email. Be warned though, the code will expire by February 19.
It's not all bad news for Stadia though. Google's video game streaming platform has received more adoration in death than it did in life. Players flocked to Stadia to try and attain the high score on its last ever game, Worm Game. It was a rather simple game, but players probably did so in honor of what the platform could have been.
Two heart-warming stories came from Stadia's version of Red Dead Online. One player with over 6,000 hours clocked in the game received a special gift from Rockstar Games for their dedication. Another player said goodbye to the game and the platform by releasing a horse named after their late daughter.
In the end, Stadia's failure can be attributed to several factors. The lack of exclusive content, the high cost of games, and the lack of support for existing games were all major issues. But perhaps the biggest problem was the lack of a clear vision for the platform. It was never clear what Google wanted to achieve with Stadia, and as a result, it failed to capture the hearts and minds of gamers.
In conclusion, the rise and fall of Google's Stadia serves as a reminder that even the biggest and most powerful companies can struggle to make their mark in the gaming industry. With the closure of Stadia, we bid farewell to a platform that had the potential to change the way we play games, but ultimately fell short of expectations.
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