Google Stadia is no longer the future of gaming. The cloud gaming service will shut down on January 18, 2023, Google has confirmed. The company will issue refunds.

Just as LG, Samsung and others were starting to position Smart TVs as a way to play the latest and greatest games through streaming apps – no console hardware required – Google has pulled the plug on Stadia.

- "A few years ago, we also launched a consumer gaming service, Stadia. And while Stadia's approach to streaming games for consumers was built on a strong technology foundation, it hasn't gained the traction with users that we expected so we’ve made the difficult decision to begin winding down our Stadia streaming service," said Phil Harrison, Vice President and General Manager, Google Stadia.

Google Stadia was unveiled to great fanfare in 2019 around the same time as Apple Arcade – a gaming service with game downloads. However, the Stadia launch was plagued by issues, limitations and broken promises, and Stadia's tight integration with YouTube was not enough to get it off the ground.

Stadia will now join a long list of other failed services from Google.

Sony and Microsoft also operate game streaming services in the form of PlayStation Plus and Xbox.


 Phil Harrison during the launch of Google Stadia in 2019

Hardware and game refunds
Google says that it will be refunding all Stadia hardware purchases made through the Google Store as well as all game and add-on purchases.

- "We will be refunding all Stadia hardware purchases made through the Google Store, and all game and add-on content purchases made through the Stadia store. Players will continue to have access to their games library and play through January 18, 2023 so they can complete final play sessions. We expect to have the majority of refunds completed by mid-January, 2023," said Phil Harrison.

More information from Google's Stadia FAQ can be found in the table below.

- "We see clear opportunities to apply this technology across other parts of Google like YouTube, Google Play, and our Augmented Reality (AR) efforts — as well as make it available to our industry partners, which aligns with where we see the future of gaming headed," he added.

FAQ: Google Stadia shutdown
Q:  How long will I be able to play my games on Stadia?
A;  We will be leaving the Stadia platform and game servers online until January 18, 2023, so you can continue to play games in your library.
 
Q:  Will all games work as expected during this time?
A:  We anticipate that there will be some gameplay issues during this period, especially any games requiring commerce, but the majority of games should continue to work normally.
 
Q: What about my game progress?  Can I take my game progress to another platform? 
A:  While that may be possible for some games that support cross-progression play on other platforms, unfortunately, for the majority of games, that won’t be possible. 
 
Q: Will I get a refund?  What is available for a refund? 
A:  We will be offering refunds for all Stadia hardware purchases (Stadia Controller, Founders Edition, Premiere Edition, and Play and Watch with Google TV packages) made through the Google Store and software transactions (games and add-on purchases) through the Stadia store. Stadia Pro subscriptions are not eligible for refund, however you will be able to continue playing your games in Pro without further charges until the final wind down date.
 
Q: Do I have to return my hardware to get a refund? 
A:  Most hardware purchases (Stadia Controller, Founders Edition, Premiere Edition, and Play and Watch with Google TV packages) made directly from Google will not need to be returned. More details on how to obtain a refund for your Stadia hardware purchases will be posted here in the coming weeks. 
 
Q:  How/When will I get my refund?
A: We are working through this process now and will keep this article updated as we define the process for each of the countries and different situations. Our intent is to have the majority of refunds processed back to the original payment by January 18, 2023.  
 
Q: Are you refunding my Stadia Pro subscription? 
A: We will not be refunding Stadia Pro subscriptions. Players who held an active Stadia Pro subscription as of September 29, 2022 will not be charged for access to their Pro library or other subscription entitlements during the shut-down period.
 
Q:  Why can I no longer purchase games?  Can I purchase in-game transactions?
A:  We have now closed the Stadia Store and disabled all commerce on the Stadia platform, including in-game transactions.
 
Q: I no longer have the form of payment I used to make the purchase, how will I get a refund?
A:  Keep an eye out for an email from us, we’ll provide you with instructions on how to choose a new form of payment.
 
Q: I paid with a gift card and have since thrown it away, how do I get my refund?
A:  Keep an eye out for an email from us, we’ll provide you with instructions on how to choose a new form of payment.
 
Q: I ordered something via pre-order - will I get charged?
A:  All future pre-orders will be canceled and you will not be charged. If you were already charged, you will be refunded your payment.
 
Q: Can I return hardware to physical locations (Google Store, Best Buy, etc.)?
A:  No. Physical locations (Google Store, Best Buy, etc.) will not be able to process any returns or refunds.
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