Google Stadia: Game Over?
27 OCTOBER 2023
Google employee reveals why its cloud-gaming platform Stadia collapsed.
Cloud-gaming platform Google Stadia shutdown earlier this year (Jan 18th) after operating for 3 years. Stadia was promoted "to bring you the highest-quality blockbuster video game experiences streamed to any screen", and looked like the future of gaming. So what happened?
A statement from Google employee Dov Zimring, as part of the FTC vs Microsoft Case, revealed some insight into what went wrong for the tech giant Google.
In relation to Google's decision to discontinue Stadia, Mr Zimring stated "However, Stadia never had access to the extensive library of games available on Xbox, PlayStation, and Steam." Stadia was "unable to attract enough subscribers to maintain a viable business."
Although Stadia claimed between 5-10% of Global Market Share in 2021, as found by the UK's Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), its popularity failed to reach that of its competitors.
According to Phil Harrison, Vice President and General Manager of Stadia, the service hadn't gained the "traction with users we expected".
As Google shifts its focus away from gaming, it raises questions about the future of cloud gaming. Industry experts and gamers alike will be watching to see the trajectory of cloud gaming and the potential success in the years to come.
Images courtesy of Google Communications