Google Stadia: Everything you need to know
Stadia is a streaming service that leverages Google’s cloud to deliver AAA games online.
What is Google Stadia?
Stadia was a streaming service that leverages Google’s vast cloud infrastructure to deliver AAA and indie games alike over the web without needing specialized gaming hardware. This ambitious effort follows in the footsteps of the company’s other large platforms: Search, Chrome, and Android. Google hopes to bring this form of entertainment to the next billion gamers by removing various limitations that exist today.
What happened to Google Stadia?
In September 2022, Google announced the closure of its Stadia platform. The cloud gaming platform later shut down on January 19, 2023. Refunds were issued to customers for the cost of games, add-ons, and Stadia hardware such as the Stadia Controller.
Most games on Stadia were already available on other platforms, and the few Stadia exclusives have mostly expanded to other platforms as well.
In April 2023 it was confirmed that Phil Harrison, the former head of Google Stadia, had left the company.