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History of video games/Platforms/Google Stadia

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  • A demo unit being played at Gamescom 2019.
    A demo unit being played at Gamescom 2019.
  • Google Stadia at GDC 2019
    Google Stadia at GDC 2019

History

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Development

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The Googleplex in Mountain View, California.

Rumors of projects that would become Stadia date back to as early as 2016.[1]

Around 2018 and 2019 rumors spread of a "Project Yeti" game console made by Google, and associated with Project Stream.[2][3][4][5]

Stadia Games and Entertainment was revealed as a first party studio for the Stadia at GDC 2019.[6] Several employees leading development on Stadia had previously worked on Gaikai or PlayStation Now.[7]

Launch

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Stadia logo.

Just prior to the announcement of the Stadia at GDC San Francisco in March of 2019 a gaming history exhibit featuring a number of products owned by the Video Game History Foundation was placed on display.[8] This display included important retro gaming gear on pedestals with an empty pedestal for the new product coming soon, which would be Stadia.[8] Though this generated important revenue from the foundation,[9] as all the other pedestal items were commercial failures, some saw this mix up as a bad omen.[8]

Google Stadia launched on November 19th, 2019.[10][11] There were a number of issues on launch day, though many remained hopeful for the future of the service.[12][13][11] Reportedly, the service would severely underperform expectations in the following year.[14]

In late 2019 and early 2020 many developers expressed doubts about the Stadia, including a lack of incentives to port games, small user base, and the concern that Stadia might simply be discontinued.[15][16] Reportedly major financial incentives were required to gain the support of major publishers.[14]

Adoption & Struggles

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In April of 2020 the requirement to own a $129.99 kit to play Stadia was removed to help people stay at home during COVID-19.[17]

On October 1st, 2020 Stadia launched Crowd Choice, a feature allowing stream audiences to vote on the game roles of streamers.[18] Later that October, Google tried offering free demos of Stadia games to build interest in the program.[19][20]

In November of 2020 Google began allowing for cloud games to be shared between family members.[21]

Due to app store policies, the launch of Stadia for iOS devices was delayed to December 16th, 2020 and launched in the form of a web app instead of a native app.[22][23][24] As iPhone marketshare in the USA, Japan, and Canada was very high in 2020 this was an important market for mobile gaming.[25]

In January 2021 some Google employees formed a union, becoming one of the few companies in the gaming industry with a union.[26] The union had existed in secret for a year prior.[27]

On February 1st, 2021 Google announced they were winding down their Stadia Games & Entertainment (SG&E) division to focus on supporting third party games only.[28][29] This also included noted game producer Jade Raymond, the producer of the first few Assassins Creed games as well as the first Watchdogs game, also leaving Google.[28] A notable struggle to retain Terraria as a Stadia game followed just days later for unrelated reasons, though it was ultimately retained by the end of the month.[30][31][32]

In February 2022 it was widely reported that the service would switch focus from being a consumer focused service to become an enterprise focused service.[33][34][35][36]

Discontinuation

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On September 29, 2022 it was announced that Google Stadia would be shuttered on January 18, 2023, and that refunds would be issued to all official Stadia related purchases.[37][38] At the time there was some concern among the gaming press about the preservation of Stadia exclusives.[39] There was also concerns over e-waste generated by the discontinuation of the service, as the wireless controllers did not support an open standard for wireless communication.[40]

After Discontinuation

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Some saw the YouTube Playables platform as a successor to Stadia.[41]

As of September 2023 improved support for the Stadia controller rumble was being added to Linux kernel 6.6.[42]

Technology

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A Google Data Center in Council Bluffs, Iowa. This photo was taken in 2017, two years before the launch of Google Stadia.

Launch specs

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Note that the following specifications are per Stadia instance at launch.

At launch each Stadia server blade contained a dedicated custom x86 CPU clocked at 2.7 gigahertz with hyperthreading, AVX2, and 9.5 megabytes of L2 and L3 cache.[43][44] Stadia instances used a dedicated custom AMD GPU with 56 compute units clocked at roughly 1495 megahertz to produce a performance of 10.7 teraflops.[44][43] Stadia server blades have 16 gigabytes of HBM2 RAM with 484 gigabytes per second of throughput.[44][43][45]

Stadia servers ran a Linux based operating system.[43][44][45] The Vulkan graphics API was used.[46]

Notable Games

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Major Ports

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Exclusive Titles

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Stadia Promotion

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Stadia Hardware

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  • Stadia Premiere Edition equipment, a Chromecast Ultra (right) and Stadia controller (left)
    Stadia Premiere Edition equipment, a Chromecast Ultra (right) and Stadia controller (left)
  • The Google Stadia controller.
    The Google Stadia controller.
  • The Google Stadia Controller mainboard.
    The Google Stadia Controller mainboard.
  • Exploded view of the Google Stadia controller.
    Exploded view of the Google Stadia controller.
  • Chromecast Ultra as included in the Stadia Premiere Edition.
    Chromecast Ultra as included in the Stadia Premiere Edition.

External Resources

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Wikipedia has related information at Google Stadia

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Google Stadia

References

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  1. ↑ Hindy, Joe (18 January 2023). "RIP Google Stadia, the gaming service aimed at no one" (in en). Android Authority. https://www.androidauthority.com/rip-google-stadia-3267642/. 
  2. ↑ Pennington, Dean (22 February 2019). "Google expected to announce 'Yeti' game streaming console at GDC 2019". TechSpot. https://www.techspot.com/news/78885-google-expected-announce-yeti-game-streaming-console-gdc.html. 
  3. ↑ Roettgers, Janko (15 March 2019). "Google’s Gaming Service: Patents, Code Snippets and Other Clues Suggest Chromecast Link". Variety. https://variety.com/2019/digital/news/google-gaming-service-device-chromecast-yeti-1203164633/. 
  4. ↑ Haselton, Todd (17 March 2019). "Google is about to reveal its plan to take on the $140 billion gaming industry, but experts are skeptical it has a chance" (in en). CNBC. https://www.cnbc.com/2019/03/17/google-yeti-gaming-announcement-expectations.html. 
  5. ↑ Amadeo, Ron (7 February 2018). "Google’s “Yeti” is reportedly a gaming hardware, streaming service beast" (in en-us). Ars Technica. https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2018/02/report-google-considering-a-game-streaming-service-console-hardware/. 
  6. ↑ Webster, Andrew (19 March 2019). "Google created its own studio for Stadia-exclusive games". The Verge. Retrieved 3 November 2020.
  7. ↑ Hollister, Sean (1 February 2021). "The writing’s on the wall for Google Stadia" (in en). The Verge. https://www.theverge.com/22260994/google-stadia-platform-white-label-option. 
  8. ↑ a b c "Stadia's issues were clear from the start This Week in Business" (in en). GamesIndustry.biz. https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2021-02-05-stadias-issues-were-clear-from-the-start-this-week-in-business. 
  9. ↑ "@frankcifaldi". Retrieved 8 February 2021.
  10. ↑ Hollister, Sean (6 June 2019). "Google's Stadia cloud gaming service is coming November 19th: Everything you need to know". The Verge. Retrieved 3 November 2020.
  11. ↑ a b Hollister, Sean (18 November 2019). "Google Stadia review: the best of cloud gaming is still just a beta". The Verge. Retrieved 3 November 2020.
  12. ↑ Noonan, Keith (26 November 2019). "Google Fumbled the Launch of Its Stadia Gaming Platform, but It Might Not Matter" (in en). The Motley Fool. https://www.fool.com/investing/2019/11/26/google-fumbled-launch-of-stadia-gaming-platform.aspx. 
  13. ↑ Hall, Stephen (19 November 2019). "Google needs to allay Stadia concerns — its launch does not". 9to5Google. https://9to5google.com/2019/11/19/google-stadia-concerns-launch/. 
  14. ↑ a b Peters, Jay (26 February 2021). "Two new reports reveal the depths of Stadia’s struggles" (in en). The Verge. https://www.theverge.com/2021/2/26/22303496/google-stadia-struggle-wired-bloomberg-reports-studios. 
  15. ↑ Gilbert, Ben. "Google's ambitious push into gaming is floundering, and it's due largely to too few games on its Stadia platform — here's why developers have held back". Business Insider. Retrieved 13 November 2020.
  16. ↑ "Even game developers are nervous Google could kill Stadia". Android Police. 14 November 2019. Retrieved 13 November 2020.
  17. ↑ Schiesel, Seth (8 April 2020). "Google Makes Stadia Gaming Service Free". The New York Times. Retrieved 3 November 2020.
  18. ↑ Lyles, Taylor (30 September 2020). "One of Google Stadia's most interesting features, Crowd Choice, is finally coming this week". The Verge. Retrieved 5 November 2020.
  19. ↑ Warren, Tom (20 October 2020). "Google launches free Stadia game demos to entice people into cloud gaming". The Verge. Retrieved 5 November 2020.
  20. ↑ Orland, Kyle (20 October 2020). "Google Stadia's free demos could prove the value of game streaming". Ars Technica. Retrieved 5 November 2020.
  21. ↑ Statt, Nick (5 November 2020). "You can borrow a friend's Google Stadia library with new family sharing feature". The Verge. Retrieved 5 November 2020.
  22. ↑ "Google's Stadia game streaming service is now available on iOS via web app" (in en). Macworld. 16 December 2020. https://www.macworld.com/article/3601730/googles-stadia-game-streaming-service-is-now-available-on-ios-via-web-app.html. 
  23. ↑ "Google Stadia Cloud Gaming Platform Now Available on iPhone and iPad Through Safari" (in en). MacRumors. https://www.macrumors.com/2020/12/16/google-stadia-ios-launch/. 
  24. ↑ "Google Stadia Is Now Playable on iPhone and iPad - IGN" (in en). https://www.ign.com/articles/google-stadia-ios-now-available. 
  25. ↑ "iOS More Popular in Japan and US, Android Dominates in China and India" (in en). PCMAG. https://www.pcmag.com/news/ios-more-popular-in-japan-and-us-android-dominates-in-china-and-india. 
  26. ↑ Conger, Kate (4 January 2021). "Hundreds of Google Employees Unionize, Culminating Years of Activism". The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/04/technology/google-employees-union.html. 
  27. ↑ Sumagaysay, Levi. "What can a small union for well-paid Google workers accomplish? Quite a bit, experts say". MarketWatch. https://www.marketwatch.com/story/what-can-a-small-union-for-well-paid-google-workers-accomplish-quite-a-bit-experts-say-11610140175. 
  28. ↑ a b "Focusing on Stadia’s future as a platform, and winding down SG&E" (in en). Google. 1 February 2021. https://blog.google/products/stadia/focusing-on-stadias-future-as-a-platform-and-winding-down-sge/. 
  29. ↑ Gartenberg, Chaim (1 February 2021). "Google is shutting down its in-house Stadia game development studios" (in en). The Verge. https://www.theverge.com/2021/2/1/22260803/google-stadia-game-development-studio-shut-down-jade-raymond. 
  30. ↑ Lyles, Taylor (26 February 2021). "Stadia version of Terraria is back in production after developer reconciles with Google" (in en). The Verge. https://www.theverge.com/2021/2/26/22303868/terria-stadia-version-back-development-canceled-google. 
  31. ↑ Lyles, Taylor (8 February 2021). "Terraria co-creator says Stadia version is canceled after losing access to Google accounts" (in en). The Verge. https://www.theverge.com/2021/2/8/22272502/terraria-google-stadia-port-canceled-deceloper-locked-out. 
  32. ↑ Wales, Matt (26 February 2021). "Terraria dev says Stadia launch will now proceed after resolving spat with Google" (in en). Eurogamer. https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2021-02-26-terraria-dev-says-stadia-launch-will-now-proceed-after-resolving-spat-with-google. 
  33. ↑ Langley, Hugh. "EXCLUSIVE: Google is trying to salvage its failing Stadia game service with a new focus on striking deals with Peloton, Bungie, and others under the brand 'Google Stream'". Business Insider. https://www.businessinsider.com/google-stadia-stream-plan-partnerships-peloton-bungie-gaming-service-2022-2. 
  34. ↑ Hollister, Sean (4 February 2022). "Google Stadia has reportedly been demoted, but it might show up in your Peloton" (in en). The Verge. https://www.theverge.com/2022/2/4/22917999/google-stadia-white-label-peloton-bungie-capcom. 
  35. ↑ "Report: Google Quietly Ditching Stadia" (in en-us). Kotaku. https://kotaku.com/google-stadia-streaming-failing-shutdown-report-stream-1848487185. 
  36. ↑ "Google Stadia May Not Be Long for This World" (in en-us). Gizmodo. https://gizmodo.com/google-stadia-may-not-be-long-for-this-world-1848485015. 
  37. ↑ Gach, Ethan (29 September 2022). "Google Kills Stadia, Its Cloud Gaming Service, Refunding Everyone" (in en-us). Kotaku. https://kotaku.com/stadia-google-refund-cloud-streaming-assassins-creed-1849597014. 
  38. ↑ Cranz, Alex; Peters, Jay (29 September 2022). "Google is shutting down Stadia". The Verge. https://www.theverge.com/2022/9/29/23378713/google-stadia-shutting-down-game-streaming-january-2023. 
  39. ↑ a b Zwiezen, Zack (29 September 2022). "All The Games We Might Lose Forever When Google Stadia Dies" (in en-us). Kotaku. https://kotaku.com/google-stadia-exclusive-games-pac-man-gylt-pixeljunk-1849599091. 
  40. ↑ Purdy, Kevin (30 September 2022). "Stadia controllers could become e-waste unless Google issues Bluetooth update" (in en-us). Ars Technica. https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2022/09/stadia-controllers-could-become-e-waste-unless-google-issues-bluetooth-update/. 
  41. ↑ Hornby, Rael (27 June 2023). "Stadia 2.0? Google may let you play games on YouTube soon". Yahoo Life. https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/stadia-2-0-google-may-124906372.html. 
  42. ↑ Larabel, Michael (3 September 2023). "Stadia Controller Rumbles & New Gaming Peripherals Supported By Linux 6.6" (in en). www.phoronix.com. https://www.phoronix.com/news/Linux-6.6-HID. 
  43. ↑ a b c d Hollister, Sean (19 March 2019). "Google Stadia uses a custom AMD chip to offer 10.7 teraflops of cloud gaming power". The Verge. Retrieved 3 November 2020.
  44. ↑ a b c d Leadbetter, Richard (19 March 2019). "Google Stadia specs: is this our first taste of next-gen?". Eurogamer. Retrieved 3 November 2020.
  45. ↑ a b "Google scores a custom AMD GPU to power its Stadia cloud gaming hardware". TechCrunch. Retrieved 3 November 2020.
  46. ↑ "Stadia Is Google's Cloud Gaming Service Using Linux, Vulkan & A Custom AMD GPU - Phoronix". www.phoronix.com. Retrieved 3 November 2020.
  47. ↑ a b c d e f g h i j k l "Stadia - Play for Free across your favorite devices". stadia.google.com. Retrieved 3 November 2020.
  48. ↑ Franzese, Tomas (8 August 2023). "Baldur's Gate 3 could have saved Google Stadia" (in en). Digital Trends. https://www.digitaltrends.com/gaming/baldurs-gate-3-couldve-saved-google-stadia/. 
  49. ↑ Schoon, Ben (3 August 2023). "Baldur's Gate 3 gets its full release, four years after Stadia first revealed it". 9to5Google. https://9to5google.com/2023/08/03/baldurs-gate-3-release/. 


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