Earlier this week Google widely confirmed that refunds for Stadia hardware would be available within the next two weeks, and just a couple of days later refunds are already starting to arrive.
Over the past several hours, we’ve had multiple refunds arrive across our own accounts, and there are numerous reports across Twitter and Reddit further confirming the rollout. Refunds for Stadia hardware are rolling out relatively widely and we’re seeing these go live not just in the US, but also in other regions.
The primary piece of hardware being refunded as a part of Stadia’s shutdown is, of course, the Stadia Controller. While Stadia technically supported any HID controller, the $69 Stadia Controller was built specifically for the platform. It had a custom button layout including an Assistant button, as well as having built-in Wi-Fi support which allowed the controller to talk directly to Google’s servers, eliminating a layer of potential input lag from using a different standard such as Bluetooth.
Google is also refunding bundles that included Chromecast Ultra and Chromecast with Google TV (4K).
So far, it seems that most folks are only seeing one or two refunds for Stadia hardware, with an email receipt confirming the refund status. As with game refunds, Google is issuing the credit back to the original form of payment.
Since Google isn’t asking for products to be returned in order to get the refund, players can keep their Stadia Controllers. Functionality is limited, though. Since the controllers only worked wirelessly with Stadia’s Wi-Fi connection, they can’t be used with some devices. But they can be used wired with Android devices and PC gaming.
More on Stadia:
- Google Store will issue Stadia Controller and hardware refunds within 2 weeks
- Some Stadia players are getting refunds for Pro subscriptions, but it’s just an error
- Stadia has gotten its last Assassin’s Creed Valhalla update; Ubisoft ‘working on’ PC copies
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