Stadia | KitGuru https://www.kitguru.net KitGuru.net - Tech News | Hardware News | Hardware Reviews | IOS | Mobile | Gaming | Graphics Cards Wed, 11 Oct 2023 20:18:09 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.4.3 https://www.kitguru.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/cropped-KITGURU-Light-Background-SQUARE2-32x32.png Stadia | KitGuru https://www.kitguru.net 32 32 New Pac-Man Battle Royale announced https://www.kitguru.net/tech-news/mustafa-mahmoud/new-pac-man-battle-royale-announced/ https://www.kitguru.net/tech-news/mustafa-mahmoud/new-pac-man-battle-royale-announced/#respond Wed, 11 Oct 2023 08:45:04 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=633685 Back in 2021, Nintendo announced and released Pac-Man 99, a Nintendo Switch Online exclusive Battle Royale which would see players take on 98 other competitors in a manner similar to that of other NSO titles such as Tetris 99 and the recently released F-Zero 99. While Pac-Man 99 has since had its servers shut down, …

The post New Pac-Man Battle Royale announced first appeared on KitGuru.]]>
Back in 2021, Nintendo announced and released Pac-Man 99, a Nintendo Switch Online exclusive Battle Royale which would see players take on 98 other competitors in a manner similar to that of other NSO titles such as Tetris 99 and the recently released F-Zero 99. While Pac-Man 99 has since had its servers shut down, the team at Bandai Namco have now announced their next take on the Battle Royale formula with the awkwardly-named Pac-Man Mega Tunnel Battle: Chomp Champs.

Coming to all consoles in Early 2024 (PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series XIS, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and Steam) Pac-Man Mega Tunnel Battle: Chomp Champs is an online-only 64-player battle royale in which you must:

“Eat your way through multiple interconnected mazes using Power Pellets and a variety of Power Items to chomp the GHOSTS and opponent PAC-MAN players! Be the last PAC standing at the end of each match in this 64-player Battle Royale to be the Chomp Champ!”

Unlike Pac-Man 99, Mega Tunnel Battle: Chomp Champs appears to be much more of an active battle royale experience, with you being able to enter other players’ mazes and even directly chomp one another. As with all battle royales of course, you will also be able to acquire a plethora of skins and customisation options.

Interestingly, Pac-Man Mega Tunnel Battle: Chomp Champs is an expanded version of the Stadia exclusive which released back in 2020 (before ultimately being shut down in January of this year). It is exciting to see that the team are giving this formula another attempt, and with the game supporting cross-play, hopefully it will find a healthy player-base – assuming the price is right.

Discuss on our Facebook page HERE.

KitGuru says: What do you think of this take on the Battle Royale genre? Did you play the original Stadia release? Should Chomp Champs be a free-to-play game? Let us know down below.

The post New Pac-Man Battle Royale announced first appeared on KitGuru.]]>
https://www.kitguru.net/tech-news/mustafa-mahmoud/new-pac-man-battle-royale-announced/feed/ 0
Google reportedly testing new cloud gaming service for YouTube https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/matthew-wilson/google-reportedly-testing-new-cloud-gaming-service-for-youtube/ https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/matthew-wilson/google-reportedly-testing-new-cloud-gaming-service-for-youtube/#respond Mon, 26 Jun 2023 09:30:34 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=620811 It has been six months since Google officially shut down Stadia. Back when the service was first announced, features that would integrate Stadia with YouTube were announced but never came to fruition. Now, Google is apparently looking to try cloud gaming again, this time by leaning entirely on YouTube.  According to a report from The …

The post Google reportedly testing new cloud gaming service for YouTube first appeared on KitGuru.]]>
It has been six months since Google officially shut down Stadia. Back when the service was first announced, features that would integrate Stadia with YouTube were announced but never came to fruition. Now, Google is apparently looking to try cloud gaming again, this time by leaning entirely on YouTube. 

According to a report from The Wall Street Journal, Google is now working on a new cloud gaming effort called “Playables”. This feature would become part of YouTube, allowing players on mobile or PC to instantly launch cloud versions of games they've seen on Google's video service.

This isn't too far off a feature planned for Stadia prior to the service's closure. It is not known at this time if Google's new cloud approach will use the same technology that powered Stadia, but I think there is good reason to believe it won't.

One of Stadia's biggest issues was its business model. Players were asked to buy new cloud-only versions of titles with no local play option. On the development side, Stadia used Linux servers, which meant that game studios had to develop new Linux versions of their games to support Stadia. The overwhelming majority of PC games are developed primarily for Windows PCs. It would be easier for Google to get something like this off the ground if it utilised Windows servers to run PC games instead, similar to Nvidia's GeForce Now.

Whether or not YouTube Playables will come to fruition still remains to be seen.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: Given that Stadia only just closed earlier this year, this news comes as quite a surprise. I do think a cloud gaming service baked into YouTube would attract more eyes and potential customers than Stadia did. However, Google will need to reconsider how it sells access to games because as we saw with Stadia, gamers are very resistant to purchasing cloud-only versions of games. 

The post Google reportedly testing new cloud gaming service for YouTube first appeared on KitGuru.]]>
https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/matthew-wilson/google-reportedly-testing-new-cloud-gaming-service-for-youtube/feed/ 0
Phil Harrison has officially left Google following Stadia shutdown https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/matthew-wilson/phil-harrison-has-officially-left-google-following-stadia-shutdown/ https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/matthew-wilson/phil-harrison-has-officially-left-google-following-stadia-shutdown/#respond Wed, 05 Apr 2023 15:59:16 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=610446 Google officially killed off its cloud gaming service Stadia back in January after less than three years on the market. While the tech behind Stadia had promise, there were issues with its business model and it lacked any compelling exclusive games. Now, the man who led Google's cloud gaming effort, Phil Harrison, has left the …

The post Phil Harrison has officially left Google following Stadia shutdown first appeared on KitGuru.]]>
Google officially killed off its cloud gaming service Stadia back in January after less than three years on the market. While the tech behind Stadia had promise, there were issues with its business model and it lacked any compelling exclusive games. Now, the man who led Google's cloud gaming effort, Phil Harrison, has left the company. 

Phil Harrison has a very unfortunate track record when it comes to gaming platform launches. He was with Sony at the time of the PS3 launch, and while the PS3 did go on to become a successful console, its first couple of years on the market were rough due to a number of decisions made during the creation of the console. He then moved to Microsoft and was part of the group that launched the Xbox One, which also had a rough launch.

Most recently, Harrison joined Google to spearhead Stadia and usher in the age of cloud gaming. Unfortunately, Stadia failed to deliver on a number of announced features and the business model was far too ambitious, as gamers were not willing to pay full price for games that could only be streamed over the cloud with no native play option.

Harrison recently updated his Linkedin profile, showing that he has officially left Google as of this month. Whether or not he remains in the gaming industry remains to be seen. Business Insider has reported that he actually left the company a little earlier in the year, around the time Stadia shut down for good.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: While with the PS3 and Xbox One, Harrison wasn't the lead making final decisions, he was the main driving force behind Stadia. A lot of money was likely lost from this project, but Google will be able to recoup at least some of the loss by repurposing the hardware for other cloud offerings unrelated to gaming. 

The post Phil Harrison has officially left Google following Stadia shutdown first appeared on KitGuru.]]>
https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/matthew-wilson/phil-harrison-has-officially-left-google-following-stadia-shutdown/feed/ 0
Google no longer licensing Stadia tech to game publishers, service has completely shut down https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/matthew-wilson/google-no-longer-licensing-stadia-tech-to-game-publishers-service-has-completely-shut-down/ https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/matthew-wilson/google-no-longer-licensing-stadia-tech-to-game-publishers-service-has-completely-shut-down/#respond Mon, 13 Mar 2023 10:30:19 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=596465 Last year shortly before Google announced plans to shut down Stadia, we learned that the company had been approaching publishers in an effort to license out Stadia's streaming tech as part of a pivot away from direct-to-consumer game sales. Stadia has now shut down for good and it seems those platform licensing plans died along …

The post Google no longer licensing Stadia tech to game publishers, service has completely shut down first appeared on KitGuru.]]>
Last year shortly before Google announced plans to shut down Stadia, we learned that the company had been approaching publishers in an effort to license out Stadia's streaming tech as part of a pivot away from direct-to-consumer game sales. Stadia has now shut down for good and it seems those platform licensing plans died along with it. 

Google Stadia officially shut down earlier this year and while we thought Google planned to pivot to licensing Stadia tech to third-party publishers, it looks like that is no longer the case. In a recent report, Axios reporter, Stephen Totilo, confirmed that Google has abandoned this business as well.

Stadia's tech won't go completely to waste, as some of it will now be used for Google Cloud services instead, but gaming does not appear to be part of the equation anymore. Google began to get cold feet in the gaming market shortly after Microsoft acquired Zenimax and Bethesda for $7.5 billion. Despite being one of the biggest tech giants on the planet, the level of investment required to compete against established companies in the gaming market was too much for Google executives to stomach.

Stadia officially closed down in January 2023. At this point, Google has refunded all Stadia software and hardware sales, with the exception of the Stadia Pro subscription. Subscribers were not refunded for their subscription time.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: Google Stadia had promise but it launched with heavily limited availability and many announced features never came to fruition. Now, it looks like Google is done with gaming for good. 

The post Google no longer licensing Stadia tech to game publishers, service has completely shut down first appeared on KitGuru.]]>
https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/matthew-wilson/google-no-longer-licensing-stadia-tech-to-game-publishers-service-has-completely-shut-down/feed/ 0
The Stadia controller is no longer useless, now works via Bluetooth https://www.kitguru.net/peripherals/mustafa-mahmoud/the-stadia-controller-is-no-longer-useless-as-you-can-now-connect-it-via-bluetooth/ https://www.kitguru.net/peripherals/mustafa-mahmoud/the-stadia-controller-is-no-longer-useless-as-you-can-now-connect-it-via-bluetooth/#respond Wed, 18 Jan 2023 18:00:40 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=590511 When Google first introduced Stadia, one of the ways the team claimed it would alleviate latency issues related to streaming was through the technology of the Stadia controller, which connected to games using WIFI. With Stadia pretty much dead and buried, Google has finally updated the controller firmware to allow users to connect it to …

The post The Stadia controller is no longer useless, now works via Bluetooth first appeared on KitGuru.]]>
When Google first introduced Stadia, one of the ways the team claimed it would alleviate latency issues related to streaming was through the technology of the Stadia controller, which connected to games using WIFI. With Stadia pretty much dead and buried, Google has finally updated the controller firmware to allow users to connect it to any device using Bluetooth.

Making the announcement on Twitter, the official Google Stadia account said “Stadians, you can now update your Stadia Controller’s firmware to enable Bluetooth Low Energy connections.”

The update tool can be found HERE, however it is worth noting that “this update will permanently disable Wi-Fi connectivity, so please wait to update your controller if you want to use it to play wirelessly on Stadia.”

Though perhaps not the most original design, Stadia owners generally agreed that the controller itself was comfortable to use and so it being updated to be usable on any Bluetooth device is welcome – though it is somewhat surprising to see the functionality was not available until now.

Discuss on our Facebook page HERE.

KitGuru says: What do you think of the Stadia controller? Would you use it as your primary controller? What is your primary controller? Let us know down below.

The post The Stadia controller is no longer useless, now works via Bluetooth first appeared on KitGuru.]]>
https://www.kitguru.net/peripherals/mustafa-mahmoud/the-stadia-controller-is-no-longer-useless-as-you-can-now-connect-it-via-bluetooth/feed/ 0
Google launches one last game to Stadia before it’s shut down for good https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/joao-silva/google-launches-one-last-game-to-stadia-before-its-shut-down-for-good/ https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/joao-silva/google-launches-one-last-game-to-stadia-before-its-shut-down-for-good/#respond Mon, 16 Jan 2023 11:00:14 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=590295 We're just a few days away from Stadia's final closure, but Google has decided to launch one last game on the platform before shutting it down. The title in question is Worm Game, a Snake-like offering developed by the Stadia team that was used to test the cloud features of the platform. Before Google launched …

The post Google launches one last game to Stadia before it’s shut down for good first appeared on KitGuru.]]>
We're just a few days away from Stadia's final closure, but Google has decided to launch one last game on the platform before shutting it down. The title in question is Worm Game, a Snake-like offering developed by the Stadia team that was used to test the cloud features of the platform.

Before Google launched Stadia, the company needed a game to test the platform. That game was Worm Game, and it's now available to play on Stadia. As a part of the history of Google's cloud gaming platform, which will be shut down in just a couple of days, Google decided to launch Worm Game to the public as a last farewell to Stadia.

The team describes Worm Game as a “humble title” used to test many of Stadia's features before the platform's public debut in 2019. According to the Stadia team, this title won't win any GOTY awards, but they still spent quite some time with it. As such, they thought it would be a good idea to share it with Stadia's users for a last hurrah.

Overall, the game looks a lot like Snake but with a few changes to make it more interesting. Besides allowing you to play in a multiplayer environment, some levels have a labyrinth layout, and others feature puzzle mechanics that will put your skills to the test. If you have an active Stadia account, you can try it now HERE.

Discuss on our Facebook page HERE.

KitGuru says: Do you have an active Stadia account? Will you try Worm Game before Stadia shuts down?

The post Google launches one last game to Stadia before it’s shut down for good first appeared on KitGuru.]]>
https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/joao-silva/google-launches-one-last-game-to-stadia-before-its-shut-down-for-good/feed/ 0
Google has begun sending out refunds for Stadia purchases https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/matthew-wilson/google-has-begun-sending-out-refunds-for-stadia-purchases/ https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/matthew-wilson/google-has-begun-sending-out-refunds-for-stadia-purchases/#respond Thu, 10 Nov 2022 14:21:46 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=581954 Back in September, Google announced that it would be shutting down its Stadia cloud gaming service in early 2023. At the time, Google also announced plans to refund all game purchases made on Stadia since launch, and now, those refunds are starting to roll out.  Stadia is shutting down on January 18th, 2023. The Stadia …

The post Google has begun sending out refunds for Stadia purchases first appeared on KitGuru.]]>
Back in September, Google announced that it would be shutting down its Stadia cloud gaming service in early 2023. At the time, Google also announced plans to refund all game purchases made on Stadia since launch, and now, those refunds are starting to roll out. 

Stadia is shutting down on January 18th, 2023. The Stadia store is already offline, and Google also stopped charging for its Stadia Pro subscription service. While Stadia Pro subscribers won't get a refund, any game purchases made through Stadia will be automatically refunded. The refunds have begun going out this week, but due to the number of refunds that have to be issued, it could take several months for all of them to be cleared.

Due to this, Google is asking that Stadia customers refrain from contacting customer support regarding game refunds. Google says its customer support agents will not be able to expedite refunds for customers, so it wants customers to avoid contacting about Stadia refunds until January, at which time, the vast majority of refunds should have been sent out.

Customers who made 20 or fewer game/DLC purchases on Stadia will get individual emails for each refund. Those who bought more than 20 games on Stadia will get one email detailing all the refunds at once. If a refund can't be sent to the original payment method, then Google will contact those customers again to set up an alternative.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru says: I did try Stadia back in early 2020 and while the service was fairly impressive, it was never going to replace my consoles or PC. Did any of you try Stadia? Did you happen to pick up any games on the service?  

The post Google has begun sending out refunds for Stadia purchases first appeared on KitGuru.]]>
https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/matthew-wilson/google-has-begun-sending-out-refunds-for-stadia-purchases/feed/ 0
Netflix is considering a push into cloud gaming https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/matthew-wilson/netflix-is-considering-a-push-into-cloud-gaming/ https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/matthew-wilson/netflix-is-considering-a-push-into-cloud-gaming/#respond Wed, 19 Oct 2022 15:18:01 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=579266 Netflix has been building up its own games business for a year now. The company has acquired and started up new game studios, and brought a selection of titles to its streaming service. In the future, Netflix may venture further with a cloud gaming offering, taking lessons from Google's issues with getting Stadia off the …

The post Netflix is considering a push into cloud gaming first appeared on KitGuru.]]>
Netflix has been building up its own games business for a year now. The company has acquired and started up new game studios, and brought a selection of titles to its streaming service. In the future, Netflix may venture further with a cloud gaming offering, taking lessons from Google's issues with getting Stadia off the ground. 

This week at TechCrunch Disrupt, Netflix VP of Gaming, Mike Verdu, spoke on the subject of cloud gaming and growing Netflix's gaming content offerings. According to Verdu, cloud gaming should be treated as a “value add” and not as a “console replacement”, with the hope that over time, it becomes a natural part of how people play games on a day-to-day basis.

Verdu has taken note of Google's struggles with Stadia, saying that while the service may have been successful on the technical side, it had big issues with its business model. With that in mind, we can expect that any Netflix cloud gaming offering would not ask you to buy full-priced games. Instead, we would see a continuation of Netflix's subscription model.

It is worth noting though that Netflix has begun having some business model issues of its own. A drought in ‘must see' content and consistent subscription price rises pushed away a million subscribers earlier this year. Acquiring games for a content library is expensive, and such ventures could drive up subscription prices further. This in turn can slow growth and lead to subscriber loss.

KitGuru Says: Do you think a Netflix cloud gaming option would be successful? 

The post Netflix is considering a push into cloud gaming first appeared on KitGuru.]]>
https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/matthew-wilson/netflix-is-considering-a-push-into-cloud-gaming/feed/ 0
CD Projekt Red reveals workaround to transfer Cyberpunk 2077 saves from Stadia https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/matthew-wilson/cd-projekt-red-reveals-workaround-to-transfer-cyberpunk-2077-saves-from-stadia/ https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/matthew-wilson/cd-projekt-red-reveals-workaround-to-transfer-cyberpunk-2077-saves-from-stadia/#respond Fri, 14 Oct 2022 08:59:14 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=578575 While it isn't surprising that Google is shutting Stadia down, the timing of the announcement did catch a lot of people off guard, including plenty of game developers. Employees and developers were not informed of the decision until it was announced to the world and now, many game devs are figuring out ways to allow …

The post CD Projekt Red reveals workaround to transfer Cyberpunk 2077 saves from Stadia first appeared on KitGuru.]]>
While it isn't surprising that Google is shutting Stadia down, the timing of the announcement did catch a lot of people off guard, including plenty of game developers. Employees and developers were not informed of the decision until it was announced to the world and now, many game devs are figuring out ways to allow Stadia players to transfer their progress to other platforms.

Bethesda, Ubisoft, Bungie and IO Interactive are just a few of the developers looking to enable Stadia players to transfer their progress to other platforms. If you played Assassin's Creed, Hitman, The Elder Scrolls Online or Destiny 2 on Stadia, you should be able to transfer to another platform before the service shuts down in January 2023.

CD Projekt Red has also joined the list now, and already has a workaround for Cyberpunk 2077 players looking to keep their save files. Cyberpunk 2077 is an interesting situation, as the game's poor console launch and need for high-end PC hardware meant that Stadia had what was perhaps the best version of the game at launch, exhibiting fewer bugs compared to other platforms.

If you did happen to have Cyberpunk 2077 on Stadia, you can download your save files to a PC and load them on the PC version of the game. From there, you can enable cross-platform saves and then you should be able to access those same save files on Xbox or PlayStation too. The full instructions can be found below:

  1. Open takeout.google.com.
  2. In “Create a new export” section click “Deselect all” and select “Stadia”. Press “Next Step” to continue.
  3. Choose your preferred destination and “Export once” frequency. Choose “.zip” file type and “2 GB” size. Press “Create Export”.
  4. Download the export from the destination chosen in the previous step.
  5. Locate the downloaded archive on your PC. Extract it.
  6. Your Cyberpunk 2077 gamesaves will be located in the following path: …/Takeout/Stadia/GAMING/GAME_SAVE/
    Note that there may be save files from other games located there as well.
  7. Files of each gamesave are located inside archives. Extract them to separate folders.
  8. To use the extracted saves on PC version, simply copy-paste those folders to the following path: %userprofile%\Saved Games\CD Projekt Red\Cyberpunk 2077
    Make sure that files are not nested inside another folder. See an example of one save below:
  9. If you own a game copy on supported console platform, you can use cross progression on any of the PC platforms and sync it with your GOG account to transfer your progress to a console:
  • Start Cyberpunk 2077 on the PC.
  • Make sure that you are logged in in the REDlauncher – this will be the account used to store your cross-platform saves.
  • Make sure the cross-platform saves are enabled in the in-game Settings.
  • Load the latest save file from Stadia (or any other that you want to copy)
  • Save the game again.
  • This save file should be synced with the cloud and appear on your console (if you're logged in to the same GOG account).

You can likely use this same method to obtain save files for other games too, but we're still awaiting on some developers to fully roll out their Stadia transfer plans.

Google Stadia was first announced in 2019 and was supposed to enable high-quality game streaming to many screens, and offer improved social and creation features, while also linking with YouTube and Google Search to help enable easy access to the service. Unfortunately, the service launched with a very limited list of supported devices and many of the features announced in the original press conference never saw the light of day.

Google also swiftly gave up on its plans for first-party content, shutting down its Stadia Games and Publishing unit shortly after Microsoft acquired Bethesda for $7.5 billion. The level of investment required to create platform-defining content scared off Google executives pretty quickly. Stadia will shut down for good in 2023 and Google will be refunding all purchases, with the exception of Stadia Pro subscriptions.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: Did you happen to use Stadia at all? What was the experience like for you? 

The post CD Projekt Red reveals workaround to transfer Cyberpunk 2077 saves from Stadia first appeared on KitGuru.]]>
https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/matthew-wilson/cd-projekt-red-reveals-workaround-to-transfer-cyberpunk-2077-saves-from-stadia/feed/ 0
Stadia exclusive GYLT is coming to other systems following service closure https://www.kitguru.net/tech-news/mustafa-mahmoud/stadia-exclusive-gylt-is-coming-to-other-systems-following-service-closure/ https://www.kitguru.net/tech-news/mustafa-mahmoud/stadia-exclusive-gylt-is-coming-to-other-systems-following-service-closure/#respond Mon, 03 Oct 2022 16:00:37 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=576837 In a surprise announcement last week, Google revealed that they would be shutting down their Stadia game streaming service. Though it did not offer the biggest library, Stadia did have some exclusive games, and so in the wake of its closure, it has been announced that Stadia-exclusive GYLT will come to other systems. Following the …

The post Stadia exclusive GYLT is coming to other systems following service closure first appeared on KitGuru.]]>
In a surprise announcement last week, Google revealed that they would be shutting down their Stadia game streaming service. Though it did not offer the biggest library, Stadia did have some exclusive games, and so in the wake of its closure, it has been announced that Stadia-exclusive GYLT will come to other systems.

Following the announcement that Google would be shutting down its Stadia service, Tequila Works founder and CEO Raul Rubio Munarriz took to Twitter to confirm that the studio’s game GYLT will not be left behind by the death of Stadia, saying “GYLT port confirmed for other platforms.”

Nothing else was offered regarding when the port will be released and to which platforms, but considering the surprise nature of Stadia’s closure, it is possible that we might have to wait a while.

First released in November 2019, GYLT is a “haunting tale about bullying and childhood nightmares, as you help Sally navigate a creepy world to rescue her missing cousin Emily”. The game received generally favourable reviews, though is seemingly nothing to write home about. Still, it coming to other platforms is highly welcome, and hopefully will give GYLT a second chance at success.

Discuss on our Facebook page HERE.

KitGuru says: What do you think of GYLT coming to other platforms? Are you interested in it? Did you play it on Stadia when it first came out? Let us know down below.

The post Stadia exclusive GYLT is coming to other systems following service closure first appeared on KitGuru.]]>
https://www.kitguru.net/tech-news/mustafa-mahmoud/stadia-exclusive-gylt-is-coming-to-other-systems-following-service-closure/feed/ 0
Ubisoft will transfer games you own on Stadia to PC https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/mustafa-mahmoud/ubisoft-will-transfer-games-you-own-on-stadia-to-pc/ https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/mustafa-mahmoud/ubisoft-will-transfer-games-you-own-on-stadia-to-pc/#respond Mon, 03 Oct 2022 11:00:58 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=576838 Late last week Google announced that it would be shutting down its Stadia game streaming service. While unfortunate for those who invested in the service over the past few years, those who purchased any Ubisoft titles on the platform will be given PC copies of their games. Making the announcement on Twitter, the official Ubisoft …

The post Ubisoft will transfer games you own on Stadia to PC first appeared on KitGuru.]]>
Late last week Google announced that it would be shutting down its Stadia game streaming service. While unfortunate for those who invested in the service over the past few years, those who purchased any Ubisoft titles on the platform will be given PC copies of their games.

Making the announcement on Twitter, the official Ubisoft Support page said “While Stadia will shut down on January 18, 2023, we're happy to share that we're working to bring the games you own on Stadia to PC through Ubisoft Connect. We'll have more to share regarding specific details as well as the impact for Ubisoft+ subscribers at a later date.”

Following the announcement that Stadia would be shutting down, Google did confirm that hardware and software purchases of Stadia accessories and games would be eligible for a full refund. What this means for those with Ubisoft games is unknown – it is possible you might be able to get a refund AND still keep the game.

The closure of any service is typically a messy ordeal and so to see Ubisoft doing what it can to alleviate some of the annoyance related to Google’s lack of commitment is commendable.

Discuss on our Facebook page HERE.

KitGuru says: What do you think of Ubisoft’s statement? Are you happy to see it? Do you own any games on Stadia? Let us know down below.

The post Ubisoft will transfer games you own on Stadia to PC first appeared on KitGuru.]]>
https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/mustafa-mahmoud/ubisoft-will-transfer-games-you-own-on-stadia-to-pc/feed/ 0
Google Stadia is shutting down after three years https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/joao-silva/google-stadia-is-shutting-down-after-three-years/ https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/joao-silva/google-stadia-is-shutting-down-after-three-years/#respond Fri, 30 Sep 2022 05:38:44 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=576401 Awkwardly after announcing a UI overhaul and the next batch of Stadia Pro games yesterday, Google also announced that it is completely shutting down the service. Just three years after launching, Stadia will go offline in January 2023, and Google is going to refund all hardware and software purchases.  According to a recent blog post …

The post Google Stadia is shutting down after three years first appeared on KitGuru.]]>
Awkwardly after announcing a UI overhaul and the next batch of Stadia Pro games yesterday, Google also announced that it is completely shutting down the service. Just three years after launching, Stadia will go offline in January 2023, and Google is going to refund all hardware and software purchases. 

According to a recent blog post from Phil Harrison, VP and GM of Stadia, the platform will be brought down on January 18th, 2023. The Stadia store is now offline, preventing you from acquiring more games on the soon-to-die platform. All the money users have spent on Stadia hardware and software (games and add-ons) will be refunded by mid-January. Any hardware is yours to keep. Stadia Pro subscriptions are not eligible for the refund program, but you won't be charged during the shutdown period.

Even if Stadia is shutting down soon, the technology will remain. Google plans to employ it on other products, including YouTube, Google Play, and AR. Moreover, the company also expects to share it with industry partners, as it began doing back in March.

The rumours regarding the Stadia shutdown have been making the rounds for a while. However, earlier this year Google insisted Stadia was sticking around for the long-term. Many Stadia employees weren't informed of the decision until yesterday at the same time the news went public.

Discuss on our Facebook page HERE.

KitGuru says: Google appeared to be caught off-guard by how difficult (and expensive) it would be to really be to establish itself in the gaming market. With no original or first-party games and a lack of publishing history, the company failed to make a good case for choosing streaming over a native platform. 

The post Google Stadia is shutting down after three years first appeared on KitGuru.]]>
https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/joao-silva/google-stadia-is-shutting-down-after-three-years/feed/ 0
Monthly Stadia Pro games announced for October https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/mustafa-mahmoud/monthly-stadia-pro-games-announced-for-october/ https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/mustafa-mahmoud/monthly-stadia-pro-games-announced-for-october/#respond Thu, 29 Sep 2022 16:00:16 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=576287 Google’s Stadia game streaming service has struggled somewhat to gain a foothold within the video games industry, falling behind the likes of Xbox Game Pass and Nvidia GeForce Now when it comes to public consciousness. Despite this, Google is continuing to add value to the service slowly but surely, with October’s ‘free’ monthly games now …

The post Monthly Stadia Pro games announced for October first appeared on KitGuru.]]>
Google’s Stadia game streaming service has struggled somewhat to gain a foothold within the video games industry, falling behind the likes of Xbox Game Pass and Nvidia GeForce Now when it comes to public consciousness. Despite this, Google is continuing to add value to the service slowly but surely, with October’s ‘free’ monthly games now announced.

Available to add to your library from the first of October, those with a Stadia Pro subscription will be able to get their hands on:

  1. Arcade Paradise – Rather than wash rags for a living, turn the family laundromat into the ultimate 90’s-fuelled retro arcade adventure. Play, profit, and purchase new arcade machines with over 35 to choose from!
  2. Drawful 2 – The team that brought you Fibbage, Quiplash and YOU DON’T KNOW JACK presents Drawful 2. Play with your friends and online in the game of terrible drawings and hilariously wrong answers!
  3. Slaycation Paradise – Launch into defending alternate Earths swarming with relentless hordes bent on ruining your vacation. Everything from shotguns and flamethrowers to cat-launchers and magic wands are at your disposal in this end-of-the-world twin-stick tower defense game. 
  4. Tangle Tower – Unravel a thrilling mystery. The lead suspect? A shadowy figure looming over the body, wielding a knife. The problem? That suspect… is just a painting! Can you uncover the secrets of Tangle Tower?
  5. Looking for Aliens – See the world through the lens of an alien TV show and search out hidden objects in 25 vibrant locations, including Area 51, the dreamworld, and outer space!
  6. The Addams Family: Mansion of Mayhem

Google Stadia Pro members will not only gain access to these 6 titles when they become available, but they will be joining an ever-increasing list of now more than 50 games available to play. Stadia may not be the most popular service, but its existence helps to make for a more healthy and competitive video games industry.

KitGuru says: What do you think of the line-up? Have you ever used Stadia? Will Google ever be able to fully turn the ship around on the service? Let us know your thoughts down below.

The post Monthly Stadia Pro games announced for October first appeared on KitGuru.]]>
https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/mustafa-mahmoud/monthly-stadia-pro-games-announced-for-october/feed/ 0
Google Stadia update overhauls UI, making it more console-like https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/mustafa-mahmoud/google-stadia-update-overhauls-ui-making-it-more-console-like/ https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/mustafa-mahmoud/google-stadia-update-overhauls-ui-making-it-more-console-like/#respond Thu, 29 Sep 2022 15:30:15 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=576288 Since its initial launch, Google Stadia has found minimal success, with the game streaming service being overshadowed by the likes of Xbox Game Pass and GeForce Now. Despite this, Google continues to make Stadia better by the day, having now released a complete revamp of the service’s user interface. Rolling out region-by-region (as confirmed by …

The post Google Stadia update overhauls UI, making it more console-like first appeared on KitGuru.]]>
Since its initial launch, Google Stadia has found minimal success, with the game streaming service being overshadowed by the likes of Xbox Game Pass and GeForce Now. Despite this, Google continues to make Stadia better by the day, having now released a complete revamp of the service’s user interface.

Rolling out region-by-region (as confirmed by Stadia Community Manager ‘DanFromGoogle’), Stadia’s new UI, brings with it a whole host of major changes, including the home tab which has been completely overhauled, offering a much more console-like experience, with games taking centre stage through a horizontally scrolling list of titles.

Other changes include the ability to jump into one of Stadia’s many game trials without the need to access the store itself, making for a much more seamless experience. Additionally, you will be better able to track your friends and see what they are playing, and can jump straight into different parties within games without needing to open the game itself first – not too dissimilar to the PS5’s cards feature.

These are but a few of the many changes brought with this latest update. Google themselves have yet to release a full changelog for the update, and so it will be interesting to see all the small tweaks and changes made when Google does officially detail this update.

KitGuru says: What do you think of the new UI? Do you like it? Have you received the update? Let us know down below.

The post Google Stadia update overhauls UI, making it more console-like first appeared on KitGuru.]]>
https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/mustafa-mahmoud/google-stadia-update-overhauls-ui-making-it-more-console-like/feed/ 0
Google denies claim that it is shutting down Stadia https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/matthew-wilson/google-denies-claim-that-it-is-shutting-down-stadia/ https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/matthew-wilson/google-denies-claim-that-it-is-shutting-down-stadia/#respond Sun, 31 Jul 2022 12:58:44 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=569638 In recent days, a rumour has been circulating, claiming that Google is planning to shut down its cloud gaming service, Stadia, by the end of the year. The rumour quickly spread and was largely being accepted as fact. However, Google has since responded, insisting that Stadia is sticking around.  The rumour was reported by Killed …

The post Google denies claim that it is shutting down Stadia first appeared on KitGuru.]]>
In recent days, a rumour has been circulating, claiming that Google is planning to shut down its cloud gaming service, Stadia, by the end of the year. The rumour quickly spread and was largely being accepted as fact. However, Google has since responded, insisting that Stadia is sticking around. 

The rumour was reported by Killed by Google, a site dedicated to tracking Google’s projects and their lifespan. An email tip sent to the site from a supposed Google employee claimed that executives have already made the decision to pull the plug on Stadia and should wind down the service this year. Previously, a community poll ran by the site estimated that Stadia would be shuttered by September 2022, so the email tip fit nicely with that prediction.

This obviously prompted Stadia users to tweet at the company seeking answers about the future of the service. Google responded, stating that the service is “not shutting down” and adding that the team is still working on growing the platform with new games.

At this point, Google has also begun licensing out its Stadia tech to developers and publishers, bringing another revenue stream for the service.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: Stadia likely won’t be around forever, but for now, it will remain live. Of course, this wouldn’t be the first time that Google has said one thing and then unexpectedly changed course, as we saw with the shutdown of Stadia’s game development studios and publishing operations. 

The post Google denies claim that it is shutting down Stadia first appeared on KitGuru.]]>
https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/matthew-wilson/google-denies-claim-that-it-is-shutting-down-stadia/feed/ 0
Google may be planning to bring Nvidia GPUs to Stadia https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/matthew-wilson/google-may-be-planning-to-bring-nvidia-gpus-to-stadia/ https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/matthew-wilson/google-may-be-planning-to-bring-nvidia-gpus-to-stadia/#respond Tue, 28 Jun 2022 11:35:36 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=565895 Since launching Stadia a few years ago, Google has maintained its AMD powered servers, using custom-built GPUs from the company. Soon, Google may make a big change, swapping out AMD GPUs with newer Nvidia options.  Recently, Google made the decision to license out its Stadia tech so game publishers and developers can offer their own …

The post Google may be planning to bring Nvidia GPUs to Stadia first appeared on KitGuru.]]>
Since launching Stadia a few years ago, Google has maintained its AMD powered servers, using custom-built GPUs from the company. Soon, Google may make a big change, swapping out AMD GPUs with newer Nvidia options. 

Recently, Google made the decision to license out its Stadia tech so game publishers and developers can offer their own cloud games using Stadia as a backbone. According to a source speaking with 9to5Google, this is also leading to some changes to Google's servers, which will be upgraded to support both AMD and Nvidia graphics options.

There is some evidence of this available publicly already, as a code change to Stadia's open source Linux kernel adds support for Nvidia GPUs. However, since we can't inspect the included Nvidia drivers yet, we don't have more specific details.

Recently, Nvidia upgraded its own GeForce Now streaming service with RTX 3080-powered servers, offering ultra-low latency streaming at up to 120Hz. Microsoft has also upgraded its xCloud servers with Xbox Series X hardware. With that in mind, Google may have to upgrade its servers with new GPUs to sway developers to using Stadia Immersive Stream.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: While Stadia's hardware was impressive in 2019, we've had a new generation of GPUs and consoles since then, and other cloud streaming services have upgraded their services more recently. With that in mind, an upgrade to Google's back-end is bound to come sooner or later. 

The post Google may be planning to bring Nvidia GPUs to Stadia first appeared on KitGuru.]]>
https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/matthew-wilson/google-may-be-planning-to-bring-nvidia-gpus-to-stadia/feed/ 0
The Quarry and High On Life were originally going to be Stadia exclusives https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/matthew-wilson/the-quarry-and-high-on-life-were-originally-going-to-be-stadia-exclusives/ https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/matthew-wilson/the-quarry-and-high-on-life-were-originally-going-to-be-stadia-exclusives/#respond Mon, 20 Jun 2022 11:00:42 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=564861 We know that Google had a number of unannounced games lined up for Stadia before pulling the plug on game development operations. Two of Stadia's biggest planned titles have been making headlines recently. As it turns out, Supermassive's latest thriller, The Quarry, was originally intended to be a Stadia game, as was Justin Roiland's upcoming …

The post The Quarry and High On Life were originally going to be Stadia exclusives first appeared on KitGuru.]]>
We know that Google had a number of unannounced games lined up for Stadia before pulling the plug on game development operations. Two of Stadia's biggest planned titles have been making headlines recently. As it turns out, Supermassive's latest thriller, The Quarry, was originally intended to be a Stadia game, as was Justin Roiland's upcoming game, High on Life. 

The Quarry just released as a spiritual successor to Until Dawn, offering a new slasher story across all major platforms, including PC, Xbox and PlayStation. It wasn't always going to be this way though. According to a new report from Axios, The Quarry was initially planned as a flagship game for the Google Stadia streaming platform. Eventually, Google decided games were too expensive and ceased its development and publishing efforts, forcing Supermassive to find a new publisher. Fortunately, 2K Games was more than willing to pick things up from there.

The report also mentions High On Life, which was recently a major highlight of the Xbox and Bethesda Showcase. The new game from Rick and Morty creator, Justin Roiland and Squanch Studios was also initially going to be funded by Google to release on Stadia, but once Google pulled the plug on development and publishing, the game had to find a new home.

Squanch has refused to comment on the matter, neither confirming nor denying Stadia's involvement in the game's development. At any rate, now with Stadia out of the equation, High On Life signed with Xbox. The game is currently scheduled to launch on Xbox consoles, PC and Xbox Game Pass later this year.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: Fortunately, these two games were still able to wrap up development and find new homes elsewhere. The same likely can't be said for other projects, which would have been cancelled once Google went back on its development and publishing plans. 

The post The Quarry and High On Life were originally going to be Stadia exclusives first appeared on KitGuru.]]>
https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/matthew-wilson/the-quarry-and-high-on-life-were-originally-going-to-be-stadia-exclusives/feed/ 0
Google redesigns Stadia’s storefront https://www.kitguru.net/desktop-pc/mustafa-mahmoud/google-redesigns-stadias-storefront/ https://www.kitguru.net/desktop-pc/mustafa-mahmoud/google-redesigns-stadias-storefront/#respond Fri, 29 Apr 2022 17:15:30 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=558841 Google’s game streaming service, Stadia, launched back in late 2019 with a solid enough gameplay experience backed by an unfortunately subpar storefront, lacking many of the most basic functionalities expected. Over time, Google has slowly improved Stadia, with the latest update overhauling the store’s design. As reported by 9to5Google, the Stadia storefront has received a …

The post Google redesigns Stadia’s storefront first appeared on KitGuru.]]>
Google’s game streaming service, Stadia, launched back in late 2019 with a solid enough gameplay experience backed by an unfortunately subpar storefront, lacking many of the most basic functionalities expected. Over time, Google has slowly improved Stadia, with the latest update overhauling the store’s design.

As reported by 9to5Google, the Stadia storefront has received a UI update, changing the way in which players will interact with the website as well as try or purchase games.

The most immediately noticeable change comes in the form of a reduction in visual clutter, with Google moving the screenshots section from the top of the page down and replacing it with a single banner representing the game in question – which then seamlessly transitions into a matching colour gradient as you scroll the page.

Other changes include the addition of pertinent information to the front of the page, such as whether a demo is available, or a time-limited trial – allowing you to much more easily try games before you buy them. Promotions for each game are also more prominently advertised, letting players easily know if there is a good deal going.

A small but sweet change is the way in which the website’s URLs are formed, going from looking like this [https://stadia.google.com/store/details/be080ad40b434ca289166031d3e88623rcp1/sku/958f4c0900c64e7e83b9218ab479304e] to this [https://stadia.google.com/game/borderlands3].

Though it is unlikely that these changes are going to fundamentally alter Google Stadia’s position within the industry, it is welcome to see Google continuing to improve Stadia – even if it is in a small way.

KitGuru says: What do you think of the UI changes? Is the Stadia store more user friendly now? Do you think Google is in it for the long run? Let us know down below.

The post Google redesigns Stadia’s storefront first appeared on KitGuru.]]>
https://www.kitguru.net/desktop-pc/mustafa-mahmoud/google-redesigns-stadias-storefront/feed/ 0
Stadia adds a number of free game trials https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/mustafa-mahmoud/stadia-adds-a-number-of-free-game-trials/ https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/mustafa-mahmoud/stadia-adds-a-number-of-free-game-trials/#respond Wed, 06 Apr 2022 16:30:21 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=556233 Google has struggled to maintain a healthy user base for its Stadia game streaming service. One of the service’s most useful elements are the free trials offered on a regular basis. Google has now added three more free trials, bringing the total up to nine. Originally pitched as a replacement service to traditional console gaming, …

The post Stadia adds a number of free game trials first appeared on KitGuru.]]>
Google has struggled to maintain a healthy user base for its Stadia game streaming service. One of the service’s most useful elements are the free trials offered on a regular basis. Google has now added three more free trials, bringing the total up to nine.

Originally pitched as a replacement service to traditional console gaming, Google has since evolved Stadia into being more than just a new platform to buy games – which can only be streamed.

The tech giant later increased the service’s worth by adding free games for Stadia Pro users, making free-to-play games truly free, and lastly adding game trials which anyone could try.

Making the announcement, Google revealed that World War Z: Aftermath; Humankind and Super Animal Royale are joining Stadia’s free trial program, allowing users to play these games for a limited time without even needing to have a Stadia account – you can simply click and play.

Nothing is truly free in this world, and while most consumers pay for ‘free’ games with their data, not needing to make a Stadia account at all means that potential customers can try out Google Stadia’s server stability as well as the games themselves while giving away as little data as possible. Hopefully the free trial program continues to be expanded over time.

Discuss on our Facebook page HERE.

KitGuru says: What do you think of the new games being added? Have you tried Stadia? Can your internet handle the streaming? Let us know down below.

The post Stadia adds a number of free game trials first appeared on KitGuru.]]>
https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/mustafa-mahmoud/stadia-adds-a-number-of-free-game-trials/feed/ 0
Google has officially begun licensing out Stadia tech to other companies https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/matthew-wilson/google-has-officially-begun-licensing-out-stadia-tech-to-other-companies/ https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/matthew-wilson/google-has-officially-begun-licensing-out-stadia-tech-to-other-companies/#respond Wed, 16 Mar 2022 13:09:38 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=553830 Back in August, we learned that Google was hiring new Stadia employees to work on licensing its streaming tech out to game developers and publishers, in lieu of focusing on first-party games and bringing consumers on to Stadia directly. Now, Google has officially announced ‘Immersive Stream for Games', a licensing service that lets game developers and publishers use …

The post Google has officially begun licensing out Stadia tech to other companies first appeared on KitGuru.]]>
Back in August, we learned that Google was hiring new Stadia employees to work on licensing its streaming tech out to game developers and publishers, in lieu of focusing on first-party games and bringing consumers on to Stadia directly. Now, Google has officially announced ‘Immersive Stream for Games', a licensing service that lets game developers and publishers use Stadia's technology. 

As we learned in February, Google has de-prioritised Stadia and is looking into other ways to earn money back on its investment into cloud gaming technology. Stadia is not shutting down and will remain in place for new and old users alike for the foreseeable future. However, Google is diversifying Stadia by opening it up to business clients.

Google has been pitching Stadia’s back-end streaming tech to multiple developers and publishers in recent months, with Capcom and Bungie amongst those who may be interested. Google's Immersive Stream for Games service has already had one customer – AT&T, which offered a cloud version of Batman Arkham Knight to thousands of customers, using Stadia's cloud infrastructure.

Those interested in licensing Stadia can set up their own cloud-based storefronts, stream games to customers, offer trials and subscription bundles and more. It is now expected that Stadia's primary focus will be B2B moving forward, but with that said, Stadia itself is also not shutting down and will continue to add new games.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: Google is primarily a tech company and has very little experience in the gaming market. That inexperience became very apparent to all on-lookers as the Stadia launch came and went. Perhaps building the technology and licensing it out to business customers was always the way to go considering Google’s history and expertise. 

The post Google has officially begun licensing out Stadia tech to other companies first appeared on KitGuru.]]>
https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/matthew-wilson/google-has-officially-begun-licensing-out-stadia-tech-to-other-companies/feed/ 0
Google is working on bringing Windows-only games to Stadia https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/matthew-wilson/google-is-working-on-bringing-windows-only-games-to-stadia/ https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/matthew-wilson/google-is-working-on-bringing-windows-only-games-to-stadia/#respond Thu, 10 Mar 2022 16:59:48 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=553315 Up to this point, it has been a bit of a challenge and an investment for developers to get their games on Stadia, as the service uses Linux servers. This has limited the number of games that can release on Stadia but soon, the situation may change, as Stadia is reportedly working on getting Windows …

The post Google is working on bringing Windows-only games to Stadia first appeared on KitGuru.]]>
Up to this point, it has been a bit of a challenge and an investment for developers to get their games on Stadia, as the service uses Linux servers. This has limited the number of games that can release on Stadia but soon, the situation may change, as Stadia is reportedly working on getting Windows titles running.

Similarly to Valve with Steam Proton, Google has reportedly developed its own similar solution to get Windows games running on Linux. According to The Verge, Google will unveil this at its Google for Games Developer Summit next week. One of the panels that will take place during the summit is titled “how to write a Windows emulator for Linux from scratch”.

If Google can get this working well on live Stadia servers and not just test environments, then we could see a huge uptick in the number of titles added to the service, as many more games will no longer face compatibility issues. This is precisely the same issue Valve looked to solve with the Steam Deck, a Linux-based handheld gaming PC. Using Steam Proton, Windows-based titles can run on Linux without modification and over time, the feature has improved considerably.

The Google for Games Developer Summit takes place on the 15th of March, so expect to hear more on this next week.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: In just the last few years, the state of gaming on Linux has improved considerably, so I have little doubt that Google does have a good method for running Windows games on Stadia servers. However, due to the Stadia business model, it is still a tough sell for many games. 

The post Google is working on bringing Windows-only games to Stadia first appeared on KitGuru.]]>
https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/matthew-wilson/google-is-working-on-bringing-windows-only-games-to-stadia/feed/ 0
Google has reportedly ‘deprioritised’ Stadia to focus on licensing streaming tech https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/matthew-wilson/google-has-reportedly-deprioritised-stadia-to-focus-on-licensing-streaming-tech/ https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/matthew-wilson/google-has-reportedly-deprioritised-stadia-to-focus-on-licensing-streaming-tech/#respond Mon, 07 Feb 2022 15:57:44 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=549388 Back in August, we learned that Google was hiring new Stadia employees to work on licensing its streaming tech out to game developers and publishers, in lieu of focusing on first-party games and bringing consumers on to Stadia directly. Now, it seems that plan is very much in motion, with Google reportedly being in talks with the likes of Bungie and Capcom.

The post Google has reportedly ‘deprioritised’ Stadia to focus on licensing streaming tech first appeared on KitGuru.]]>
Back in August, we learned that Google was hiring new Stadia employees to work on licensing its streaming tech out to game developers and publishers, in lieu of focusing on first-party games and bringing consumers on to Stadia directly. Now, it seems that plan is very much in motion, with Google reportedly being in talks with the likes of Bungie and Capcom.

According to Business Insider, Google has de-prioritised Stadia and is looking into other ways to earn money back on its investment into cloud gaming technology. Stadia is not shutting down and will remain in place for new and old users alike for the foreseeable future. However, rather than continuing to push Stadia towards consumers, Google is now more interested in business clients.

Google has been pitching Stadia's back-end streaming tech to multiple developers and publishers in recent months. In particular, Google seems to have Bungie and Capcom interested, as both could license Stadia's back-end technology to offer games on a wider range of platforms.

This would work similarly to Nintendo Switch games that are currently only available as a ‘Cloud Version'. Those games utilise various cloud gaming services on the back-end and not Nintendo's own solution. Google is looking to do something similar with Stadia, so for instance, if Bungie signed on, we could see ‘Destiny 2: Cloud Version' on the Nintendo Switch some day.

In this scenario, there would be no Stadia branding and the end-user would likely never even realise that the game is using Google's technology. In light of this news, Google took to its Stadia Twitter account to make it clear that Stadia is not shutting down and will continue to add new games to its catalogue and offer free titles to Stadia Pro subscribers.

KitGuru Says: Google is primarily a tech company and has very little experience in the gaming market. That inexperience became very apparent to all on-lookers as the Stadia launch came and went. Perhaps building the technology and licensing it out to business customers was always the way to go considering Google's history and expertise. 

The post Google has reportedly ‘deprioritised’ Stadia to focus on licensing streaming tech first appeared on KitGuru.]]>
https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/matthew-wilson/google-has-reportedly-deprioritised-stadia-to-focus-on-licensing-streaming-tech/feed/ 0
Stadia Pro’s free February games are actually good https://www.kitguru.net/tech-news/mustafa-mahmoud/stadia-pros-free-february-games-are-actually-good/ https://www.kitguru.net/tech-news/mustafa-mahmoud/stadia-pros-free-february-games-are-actually-good/#respond Wed, 26 Jan 2022 18:17:44 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=547946 Despite the clear lack of interest from most parties, Google is continuing to offer free games to those who are subscribed to the company’s game streaming service, Stadia. For the month of February, players can actually get their hands on a number of high quality and exciting new titles. Making the announcement on their blog, …

The post Stadia Pro’s free February games are actually good first appeared on KitGuru.]]>
Despite the clear lack of interest from most parties, Google is continuing to offer free games to those who are subscribed to the company’s game streaming service, Stadia. For the month of February, players can actually get their hands on a number of high quality and exciting new titles.

Making the announcement on their blog, the Stadia team revealed the list of games being given away for free to all those with a Stadia Pro subscription:

  • Cosmic Star Heroine
  • Nanotale
  • Merek's Market
  • Phogs
  • One Hand Clapping
  • Life is Strange
  • Life is Strange: Before The Storm

Alongside the list of games being rather expansive, the best part is the fact that both Life is Strange and Before the Storm are their remastered versions, which are set to launch on the first of February.

This remastered collection comes with a wide number of major improvements to the critically acclaimed series, including seeing the addition of full facial motion capture; engine and lighting upgrades; and updated gameplay – to name but a few improvements.

Of course, Google Stadia is a streaming-only service, and so players must be aware that the quality of the games are entirely reliant on the speed of your internet. Still, if you are one of the few who are subscribed to Stadia Pro, February’s line-up is one of the best yet.

Discuss on our Facebook page HERE.

KitGuru says: what are your internet speeds like? Have you tried Stadia? What do you think of February’s line-up? Let us know down below.

The post Stadia Pro’s free February games are actually good first appeared on KitGuru.]]>
https://www.kitguru.net/tech-news/mustafa-mahmoud/stadia-pros-free-february-games-are-actually-good/feed/ 0
Stadia timed-demos expand to include Control and Riders Republic https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/matthew-wilson/stadia-timed-demos-expand-to-include-control-and-riders-republic/ https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/matthew-wilson/stadia-timed-demos-expand-to-include-control-and-riders-republic/#respond Wed, 03 Nov 2021 17:07:35 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=538425 One of the big benefits of cloud gaming is the instant access to games, without the need to wait for installs or downloads. It also paves the way for developers to offer limited-time access to titles in a controlled way, without needing to spend resources and development time creating a separate demo build. Now, Google …

The post Stadia timed-demos expand to include Control and Riders Republic first appeared on KitGuru.]]>
One of the big benefits of cloud gaming is the instant access to games, without the need to wait for installs or downloads. It also paves the way for developers to offer limited-time access to titles in a controlled way, without needing to spend resources and development time creating a separate demo build. Now, Google Stadia is finally taking advantage of this idea, offering limited-time demos for select titles. 

As we reported last week, Stadia began offering timed 30-minute demos for select titles in late October, starting off with Hello Neighbour. Now, Google has partnered with some of its bigger publishing partners to offer titles, including Ubisoft's Riders Republic and Control: Ultimate Edition from Remedy Entertainment.

Both games are now freely playable through Stadia without the need for a subscription or a Stadia account. However, you will need 30 minutes of your schedule cleared, as once you activate the demo, you only have 30 minutes to play, as the system goes on real time and not play-time.

This also opens up an opportunity for more people to try Stadia and see how it performs on their devices, without having to invest any money into the service through subscribing to Stadia Pro or buying a particular game.

KitGuru says: Stadia is still kicking around for now. It's just a shame forward-thinking features like this weren't already in place at launch. 

The post Stadia timed-demos expand to include Control and Riders Republic first appeared on KitGuru.]]>
https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/matthew-wilson/stadia-timed-demos-expand-to-include-control-and-riders-republic/feed/ 0
Google Stadia is finally offering demos and free trials for games https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/joao-silva/google-stadia-is-finally-offering-demos-and-free-trials-for-games/ https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/joao-silva/google-stadia-is-finally-offering-demos-and-free-trials-for-games/#respond Thu, 28 Oct 2021 10:35:06 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=537622 One of the big benefits of cloud gaming is the instant access to games, without the need to wait for installs or downloads. It also paves the way for developers to offer limited-time access to titles in a controlled way, without needing to spend resources and development time creating a separate demo build. Now, Google …

The post Google Stadia is finally offering demos and free trials for games first appeared on KitGuru.]]>
One of the big benefits of cloud gaming is the instant access to games, without the need to wait for installs or downloads. It also paves the way for developers to offer limited-time access to titles in a controlled way, without needing to spend resources and development time creating a separate demo build. Now, Google Stadia is finally taking advantage of this idea, offering limited-time demos for select titles. 

As reported by Gem (via 9to5Google), Stadia has begun offering timed 30-minute demos for some games, starting with Hello Neighbour. You don't even need a Stadia account to access the demo, but it is worth noting that the 30-minutes is counted as real-time after claiming the free trial, so you should only claim the demo when you have half an hour to sit down and play.

A Google representative confirmed the new feature through Reddit, stating that we should see trials for other games in the coming weeks. The trial duration will differ based on the game.

To anyone interested in trying Hello Neighbour on Stadia, go to the game's page and scroll down to the “Free trial” segment. Once you get there, click on the “Play 30 min free” button, and the trial will start. A countdown timer will show up, displaying how much time you have to play the game. Once it reaches zero, Google will ask you if you want to buy the game. Any progress made during the trial will be carried over.

KitGuru says: Given this new feature, it seems that Google hasn't yet abandoned Stadia. Stadia trials look very practical for anyone that wants to try the game streaming service or a  specific game, as you won't need to download anything nor create an account for that purpose. It's a genuinely good idea, but whether or not it changes people's perception of the service still remains to be seen. 

The post Google Stadia is finally offering demos and free trials for games first appeared on KitGuru.]]>
https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/joao-silva/google-stadia-is-finally-offering-demos-and-free-trials-for-games/feed/ 0
Google Stadia now lets you use any controller https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/mustafa-mahmoud/google-stadia-now-lets-you-use-any-controller/ https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/mustafa-mahmoud/google-stadia-now-lets-you-use-any-controller/#respond Wed, 29 Sep 2021 11:00:07 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=533598 One of the main issues with Google Stadia is that while the search giant pitched the service as being the cheaper alternative to console gaming, the need for a bespoke controller for minimum latency brought the cost up considerably. For those who were not invited to the recent Stadia promotion (which practically gave away controllers …

The post Google Stadia now lets you use any controller first appeared on KitGuru.]]>
One of the main issues with Google Stadia is that while the search giant pitched the service as being the cheaper alternative to console gaming, the need for a bespoke controller for minimum latency brought the cost up considerably. For those who were not invited to the recent Stadia promotion (which practically gave away controllers for free), you can now connect any controller through WIFI to Stadia – but with a catch.

While not officially announced, Stadia users have recently noticed a new option being made available to them, allowing the users to connect your phone to Stadia, enabling you to use the touch screen like a controller, in what has been dubbed ‘Phone Link’.

Even more exciting however is the fact that the phone can also be used as a tether, allowing you to connect any controller via Bluetooth or USB to the phone, and then using the phone’s WIFI capabilities to connect to the TV for less input latency.

While a potentially convoluted method, the fact that you can now connect any controller to Stadia means that the barrier to entry for the service has been lowered significantly, as you now only need a Chromecast Ultra in order to use Stadia on your TV.

Though unlikely to push the needle in terms of subscribers, this latest update to Stadia shows that not only is Google Still committed to the service, but they are committed to the technology, pushing it forward for other services to follow suit.

Discuss on our Facebook page HERE.

KitGuru says: Have you tried Stadia? Did you purchase the controller? What is your favourite gaming controller? Let us know down below.

The post Google Stadia now lets you use any controller first appeared on KitGuru.]]>
https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/mustafa-mahmoud/google-stadia-now-lets-you-use-any-controller/feed/ 0
Google tries to win ex-Stadia users back with free stuff https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/mustafa-mahmoud/google-tries-to-win-ex-stadia-users-back-with-free-stuff/ https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/mustafa-mahmoud/google-tries-to-win-ex-stadia-users-back-with-free-stuff/#respond Mon, 20 Sep 2021 18:00:30 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=532376 Ever since its announcement and release, Google’s Stadia has failed to live up to expectations on all fronts, with customers disappointed in the service, and Google disappointed in its sales performance. Still, the company has not yet given up, and is now trying to win back lapsed subscribers by giving free upgrades to the Stadia …

The post Google tries to win ex-Stadia users back with free stuff first appeared on KitGuru.]]>
Ever since its announcement and release, Google’s Stadia has failed to live up to expectations on all fronts, with customers disappointed in the service, and Google disappointed in its sales performance. Still, the company has not yet given up, and is now trying to win back lapsed subscribers by giving free upgrades to the Stadia Premiere Edition which includes a Chromecast Ultra and controller.

As reported by 9to5Google, in the UK, a number of ex-Stadia Pro users received an email offering a new promotion. This promotion will see those with lapsed accounts pay for one month of Stadia Pro, then receiving a free upgrade to the Premiere Edition of the service which comes with not only a Chromecast Ultra, but a Stadia controller too.

In the email, Google told fans “Curious to see what you’ve been missing? Come back to Stadia Pro and score Stadia Premiere Edition—a Stadia Controller and Google Chromecast Ultra, on us—shipping charges may apply.”

This means is that if you were to receive this email, you would be able to get a Chromecast and Google Stadia controller – a value of £69.99 typically – for the low price of £8.99. Even if you were not planning on using Stadia, obtaining a Chromecast Ultra for just £8.99 is a deal in and of itself.

What this means for the service itself may be troubling, and suggests that Google overestimated the sales and success of Stadia. While it is unlikely that Stadia will ever find the success that Google had hoped, this new promotion may entice at least a few curious customers.

Discuss on our Facebook page HERE.

KitGuru says: What do you think of Stadia? Will Google shut down the service soon? How can Stadia succeed in your opinion? Let us know down below.

The post Google tries to win ex-Stadia users back with free stuff first appeared on KitGuru.]]>
https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/mustafa-mahmoud/google-tries-to-win-ex-stadia-users-back-with-free-stuff/feed/ 0
Former Stadia devs say Google pulled plug due to investment costs https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/matthew-wilson/former-stadia-devs-say-google-pulled-plug-due-to-investment-costs/ https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/matthew-wilson/former-stadia-devs-say-google-pulled-plug-due-to-investment-costs/#respond Wed, 11 Aug 2021 16:06:54 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=527205 It has been months since Google shut down its internal Stadia game development studios and publishing branch. As time goes on, we're learning more about why Google threw in the towel so soon, and it looks like rising game development costs had a lot to do with it. In preparation for Stadia's launch, Google acquired …

The post Former Stadia devs say Google pulled plug due to investment costs first appeared on KitGuru.]]>
It has been months since Google shut down its internal Stadia game development studios and publishing branch. As time goes on, we're learning more about why Google threw in the towel so soon, and it looks like rising game development costs had a lot to do with it.

In preparation for Stadia's launch, Google acquired several game studios, including Typhoon Studios, the developer behind Journey to the Savage Planet. After Stadia pulled the plug on game development, Typhoon was one of the studios to be shut down. Now, the founders of Typhoon Studios, Alex Hutchinson and Reid Schneider, have formed a new studio, and have opened up a bit on what went on behind the scenes at Stadia.

As reported by Gamasutra, Hutchinson said: “I think realized that content is scary and risky and expensive and takes lots of trust in people, and it just wasn’t their core business”. Schneider added: “In my honest opinion, I think it just came down to the level of investment required to reach scale.”

“During our time there we also Microsoft acquire Bethesda for around $7 billion, and Amazon’s continued challenges in launching top titles. It's not hard to imagine why a company as successful as Google would reconsider its original planning with forces like that in the world.”

Google shut down Stadia Games and Publishing in January this year. Since then, we've seen several notable industry vets go on to form new studios. Jade Raymond has formed a new company, which already has a partnership in place with PlayStation, and now the former Typhoon Studios founders have launched Raccoon Logic and re-purchased the rights to Journey to the Savage Planet.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: Given that Google didn't get to the point of announcing any exclusives for Stadia, it seems clear that the time and investment required for game development caught the company off guard.

The post Former Stadia devs say Google pulled plug due to investment costs first appeared on KitGuru.]]>
https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/matthew-wilson/former-stadia-devs-say-google-pulled-plug-due-to-investment-costs/feed/ 0
Google could license Stadia tech for devs to create their own cloud gaming services https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/matthew-wilson/google-could-license-stadia-tech-for-devs-to-create-their-own-cloud-gaming-services/ https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/matthew-wilson/google-could-license-stadia-tech-for-devs-to-create-their-own-cloud-gaming-services/#respond Tue, 03 Aug 2021 18:13:55 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=525823 While Google first announced Stadia with a lot of promise, the service fell flat almost instantly and the disbanding of first-party studios and publishing services has led to interest dropping almost completely. Google may still be able to salvage Stadia though, by providing the cloud gaming tech to other developers and publishers.  According to a …

The post Google could license Stadia tech for devs to create their own cloud gaming services first appeared on KitGuru.]]>
While Google first announced Stadia with a lot of promise, the service fell flat almost instantly and the disbanding of first-party studios and publishing services has led to interest dropping almost completely. Google may still be able to salvage Stadia though, by providing the cloud gaming tech to other developers and publishers. 

According to a job listing for a Product Manager at Stadia, Google is looking to sell its cloud gaming infrastructure and tools to third-party partners who want to “build their own interactive streaming platforms”.

The full quote reads: “In addition to building our own video game platform we see an important opportunity to make our infrastructure and tools available to partners who want to build their own interactive streaming platforms. Our goal is to build a long-term, sustainable business that helps grow the industry across gaming and other interactive streaming applications.”

Google struggled to market Stadia properly from the get-go, focussing heavily on technical specifications and far-future features and possibilities, rather than doubling down on content. With that in mind, a transition to partnering with publishers and providing the technology to them could work out quite well.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: Did any of you try Stadia after launch? What was your experience like? 

The post Google could license Stadia tech for devs to create their own cloud gaming services first appeared on KitGuru.]]>
https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/matthew-wilson/google-could-license-stadia-tech-for-devs-to-create-their-own-cloud-gaming-services/feed/ 0
Stadia’s marketing lead directly addresses “non-believers” https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/mustafa-mahmoud/stadias-marketing-lead-directly-addresses-non-believers/ https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/mustafa-mahmoud/stadias-marketing-lead-directly-addresses-non-believers/#respond Fri, 14 May 2021 17:06:53 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=515520 Google Stadia has generally been regarded by most to be a disappointment. The game streaming service has until now underdelivered on its promises, and has failed to capture the market in any meaningful way. Despite all of these issues, the marketing lead for Stadia has told “any non-believers to take notice of how we're continuing …

The post Stadia’s marketing lead directly addresses “non-believers” first appeared on KitGuru.]]>
Google Stadia has generally been regarded by most to be a disappointment. The game streaming service has until now underdelivered on its promises, and has failed to capture the market in any meaningful way. Despite all of these issues, the marketing lead for Stadia has told “any non-believers to take notice of how we're continuing to put our words into action.”

Speaking to Gamesindustry.biz, Google Stadia’s marketing lead Nate Ahearn discussed the current state of Stadia, saying “We're well on our way to over 100 new games launching on Stadia in 2021, and we're continuing to make Stadia a great place to play games on devices you already own. I'd tell any non-believers to take notice of how we're continuing to put our words into action, as we grow the Stadia Makers program and partner with AAA studios like Capcom, EA, Square Enix, Ubisoft and others.”

Addressing the recent departures from the company, in particular those that left to join Jade Raymond’s Haven Studios, Ahearn said that they were “happy they were able to find new opportunities.”

In discussing its Stadia Makers program, Aheam claimed that “We're not shifting pressure onto the independent studios we work with in Stadia Makers. The whole point of the program is to support their addition of Stadia as a launch platform for their game, not add any pressure or make anything harder for them.”

In an industry dominated by a few core companies and platforms, new entrants need to get aggressive in order to have any chance of succeeding – as can be seen with Epic Games. Google Stadia does not seem to share the same level of aggression, and so it will be interesting to see whether their slow and steady approach ultimately pays off or not.

KitGuru says: Have you used Google Stadia? Do you think Stadia’s strategy will work in the long term? What should Stadia do? Let us know down below.

The post Stadia’s marketing lead directly addresses “non-believers” first appeared on KitGuru.]]>
https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/mustafa-mahmoud/stadias-marketing-lead-directly-addresses-non-believers/feed/ 0