Tag: Stadia

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Mobile Syrup

Stadia didn’t JUST die, its been dead since day one

With Google’s Stadia completely out of the cloud gaming picture now, the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has shared a statistic that reveals that Stadia had a market share much smaller than competing services.

The report, titled “Microsoft — Activision deal could harm UK gamers,” goes over how Microsoft acquiring Activision could affect Xbox Game Pass streaming. “The evidence available to the CMA currently indicates that Microsoft would find it commercially beneficial to make Activision’s games exclusive to its own cloud gaming service,” reads the report.

In one part of the report, the CMA goes over statistics regarding each cloud gaming service’s user count in 2021 and 2022.

Based on the monthly average users (MAUs) from information provided directly by each cloud gaming company, it’s revealed that Stadia never captured more than 10 percent of the cloud gaming market share.

In 2021, Stadia’s market share is estimated to be between five and ten percent, whereas, in 2022, it fell to between zero and five percent. In both years, PlayStation Cloud Gaming, Nvidia’s GeForce Now and Xbox’s xCloud far outpaced Stadia in terms of MAUs and market share.

Further, while we don’t know the exact user count Stadia boasted before its untimely death, PlayStore downloads for the Stadia app offer a good idea. “The Android app for Stadia was downloaded between 1,000,000 and 5,000,000 times, while the Android TV app was only downloaded between 100,000 and 500,000 times,” according to 9to5Google.

The CMA points to the fact that Google, being the industry giant that it is, was unable to drive Stadia to success, and because of this, Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision could make it difficult for other cloud gaming services, likely the ones that don’t have an industry giant like Google backing it up, to grow and offer a competitive game library.

An excerpt from the report is below:

“We consider that Google’s recent decision to shut down its own cloud gaming service, Stadia, shows that merely having some strengths relevant to cloud gaming is not enough to guarantee a platform’s success.

We provisionally believe that content is particularly important to the success of a cloud gaming service, particularly considering Google’s failure with Stadia, which our evidence suggests was caused at least in part by a lack of gaming content, which was connected to its use of a Linux OS.”

Read the CMA’s report here.

Source: Competition and Markets Authority Via: 9to5Google

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Mobile Syrup

Stadia refunds are causing user Play Points to go negative

Now that Google has begun refunding users after shutting Stadia down, it appears some users who paid for Stadia titles via Play Store credits are seeing a massive influx of refunds along with a negative Play Points balance on their accounts.

Google has made it clear that it will process refunds back to the source of the payment. If that isn’t possible for any reason, Google will email you on the Google account used to make the purchase with more information.

One of the ways users paid for games was through Play Store credits, which could have been redeemed through Play Points, by answering Opinion Rewards surveys, or via gift cards. According to 9to5Google, users frequently funded their Play Store accounts with gift cards, and subsequently made Stadia purchases. Now, these users are stuck with massive amounts of refunds as Play Store credits.

Google is unable to transfer these funds anywhere else.

Further, credits earned through Google’s Opinion Rewards surveys normally expire a year from the survey completion date. Users are noticing that the refund coming in is marked with the original expiration date, which might mean Opinion Rewards credit earned and spent over a year ago might not qualify to be refunded.

Elsewhere, all Play Points earned for purchasing games on Stadia’s Android app are being deducted from user accounts as Stadia refunds roll in. In a statement received by 9to5Google, Google said, “We are aware of the Play Points balance issue caused by Stadia refunds that is impacting some users in the US. We are working on a resolution for this issue.”

Source: 9to5Google

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Mobile Syrup

Google has started processing refunds for Stadia users

Back in September when Google announced that it is shutting down Stadia, it came as a surprise that it will also refund users that purchased Stadia hardware through the Google Store, alongside all games and add-on content purchases made through the Stadia store.

During the time, Google said that it ‘expects to have the majority of refunds completed by mid-January, 2023,” and it looks like Google has now started the process of refunding users.

According to an announcement made today, Stadia will “attempt to” automatically process refunds for all Stadia Store purchases of games, add-on content, and subscription payments. “We ask for your patience as we work through each transaction and ask that you refrain from contacting Customer Support as they will not be able to expedite your refund during this time. We still expect the majority of refunds to be processed by January 18th, 2023,” said Google.

Google says refunds would be processed directly to the source of the payment. If that isn’t possible for any reason, Google will email you on the Google account used to make the purchase with more information.

Customers who have made 20 or fewer purchases on the Stadia store will receive one email for each transaction made, whereas customers who have made 21 or more purchases on the Stadia store will receive one email summarizing all the refund attempts.

Users who’ve made pre-orders will have the orders cancelled, and their cards won’t be charged. Additionally, the charges for the Stadia Pro subscription and Power Support CLAW would not be refunded.

Source: Google 

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Mobile Syrup

Here’s how you can export your Cyberpunk 2077 progress from Stadia to PC/console

Cyberpunk 2077 players that played the game on Stadia now have a way to rescue their game progress from the dying platform.

If you’re looking to salvage your progress from Stadia, you’ll have to use Google’s Takeout service to export your data as a downloadable archive file and bring it over to your PC.

It’s worth noting that if you want to save your game files, you’ll have to do so before January 18th, 2023 (the day Stadia shuts down). Follow the steps below:

  1. Head to Google Takeout
  2. Click on ‘deselect all’ and select ‘Stadia’
  3. Choose your preferred destination for the export, i.e. via email, Drive, Dropbox, etc
  4. Under ‘Frequency,’ select ‘Export Once’
  5. Choose ‘.zip’ as the file type and ‘2GB’ as the file size
  6. Click on ‘Create export’
  7. Download the exported file from the preferred destination that you chose in step 3
  8. Extract the game files from the .zip folder
  9. Locate your Cyberpunk 2077 files under /Takeout/Stadia/GAMING/GAME_SAVE
  10. Save those files in a separate folder and paste the folder in %userprofile%Saved GamesCD Projekt RedCyberpunk 2077 on your PC (provided you have the game installed on your PC)

Once you’ve followed the steps above, you can continue Cyberpunk 2077 where you left off on PC. To sync the data to a console, simply start Cyberpunk 2077 on your PC via the RedLauncher.

Make sure the cross-platform saves are enabled in the in-game Settings and load the files you’ve just imported from Takeout. Save the game again, and the data should sync with the cloud and appear on your console. Note that you need to be using the same GOG account on your PC and console.

Source: CDProjektRed

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Mobile Syrup

Google announces new Chromebook powered by cloud after killing Stadia

Google is announcing a brand new line of Chromebooks. The three new devices, developed in partnership with a number of manufacturers, are said to utilize the power of the cloud for gaming. News of the products come not long after the same company pulled the curtain on Stadia.

Google’s new Chromebook selection includes Acer’s Chromebook 516 GE, the Asus Chromebook Vibe CX55 Flip and the Ideapad Gaming Chromebook from Lenovo. Each laptop touts high framerates and RGB keyboards. Most prominently, each new Chromebook is built for cloud gaming.

We’ve compiled a quick overview of each device. The Acer Chromebook 516 GE offers a 120Hz WQXGA display, RGB anti-ghosting keyboard, and WiFi 6E connectivity. It is also built on an Intel Core i5 processor with 8GB+ RAM.

Meanwhile, the ASUS Chromebook Vibe CX55 Flip supports a 144Hz FHD display and is a 2-in-1 convertible laptop. Once again, this device includes an RGB anti-ghosting keyboard and an Intel Core i5 processor with 8GB+ RAM. It is paired with Harmon Kardon-certified dual speakers with WiFi 6 connectivity enabled.

Finally, the Lenovo Ideapad Gaming Chromebook supports a 120Hz WQXGA display, an RGB anti-ghosting keyboard and WiFi 6E connectivity. Additionally, it includes a 4-speaker system with Wave audio tuning plus an Intel Core i3+ processor with 8GB+ RAM.

While each device offers modest specs, it’s Google’s emphasis on cloud gaming that stands out the most. Even in the blog post, Google highlights the respectable number of games available on the cloud via the above video. Google is teaming up with Nvidia to bring its GeForce Now cloud-based gaming feature to each Chromebook. Each device is built to support Nvidia’s highest performance RTX 3080 tier. Members of the RTX 3080 tier are able to play AAA titles like Cyberpunk 2077, Fortnite and Crysis 3 Remastered at up to 1600p @120fps.

Additionally, Google is partnering with Xbox to bring Xbox Cloud Gaming to Chromebook via an installable web app to give subscribers of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate even more flexibility. Xbox Cloud Gaming supports a wide array of first-party titles and third-party games available on Xbox Game Pass.

The timing of this announcement is quite unfortunate. The performance of each Chromebook does set itself up to be a cloud-gaming workhorse. However, Google recently shuttered Stadia, its own cloud-gaming service. Had it not, the narrative of these new Chromebooks being Stadia-powered writes itself. Though, as of January 18th, 2023, Stadia and its servers will be taken offline. For those in the Google ecosystem, refunds on hardware and software will be given through the Google Play Store.

As for the new Chromebooks, each device will be available this month.

Image credit: Google

Source: Google

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Mobile Syrup

Everything you need to know about Google Stadia refunds ahead of its death

In case you haven’t heard, the Google Stadia plug is being pulled on January 18th, 2023.

As part of its official announcement, Google reassured those who invested in the cloud gaming ecosystem that refunds will be given. As we steadily approach the month of January, we’ve compiled all the info you need to request a refund from the company.

It’s no easy pill to swallow knowing a platform you’ve invested money and time into is getting the axe. Google is thankfully issuing refunds for Stadia hardware purchases, software and DLC. However, there are eligibility guidelines to follow.

Google has confirmed that purchases on all hardware and software products are eligible for refunds. However, the major caveat is that the company is only issuing refunds for purchases made via the Google Play Store and Stadia store. Therefore, the following products are eligible for refunds:

  • Google Stadia controller (est. $89 CAD)
  • Founders Edition (est. $169 CAD)
  • Premiere Edition (est. $169 CAD)
  • Games and DLC purchases (Prices vary)

Understandably, Google is not refunding Stadia Pro subscriptions. In Canada, premium-level subscription cost $11.99 per month. However, if you’re a current subscriber, Google is not charging for access to the service between now and January 18th, 2023.

It’s also worth noting that returns of Stadia hardware aren’t required for a refund. That means Stadia players can keep their controllers and Chromecast Ultra. Players are hoping that support for the controller may expand following the termination of Stadia. With that in mind, all purchases can be tracked via the ‘Order History’ tab on the Google website. Likewise, with software purchases, there is a tab on the Stadia website that breaks it all down.

The Stadia store is currently closing. Players can no longer purchase new games to play. Google also confirms it is cancelling preorders for upcoming Stadia games. Stadia players will not be charged for the full price of the game. Once again, any dollar amount that has gone towards preorders will be refunded.

With all this said, Google hasn’t outlined the refund process in full. We’re still very early on in the process of Google shuttering Stadia, which was not long for this world. However, it appears the tech giant aims to fulfill refunds prior to January 18th, 2023.

Although Google is issuing refunds, some third-party partners are looking at other means to transfer game purchases. For instance, Ubisoft is looking at a way to transfer Stadia-purchased games from the publisher over to PC. The publisher confirms this is to be done via Ubisoft Connect. Bungie, IO Interactive, and other studios are also following suit.

MobileSyrup will continue to report on the state of Stadia refunds as more information surfaces in the lead-up to January 18th, 2023.

Image credit:

Source: AndroidPolice

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Mobile Syrup

Stadia optimizations make their way to Nest Wifi Pro’s listing page despite Google killing the platform

Google revealed its new Nest Wifi Pro this week. The new Nest product is Google’s first mesh router system that supports Wi-Fi 6E with a tri-band connection that offers 2.4GHz, 5GHz, and 6GHz access.

Since the Nest Wifi’s inception, Google has touted how the mesh router system automatically optimizes itself and prioritizes bandwidth for any Stadia devices it is connected to. The new Nest Wifi Pro’s ‘Tech Specs’ page alludes to the same under the ‘Automatic Wi-Fi optimization’ subsection, as spotted by 9to5Google and as seen in the screenshot below:

Now, mentioning the feature under ‘Tech Specs’ wouldn’t have raised any eyebrows if the Nest Wifi Pro was released about a week ago, considering that until a week ago, Stadia was still a platform, alive, though not doing so well.

Then, on Thursday, September 29th, Google announced that it will soon be taking Stadia off life support, with its final death set to take place on January 18th, 2023.

It’s likely that marketing material for the new Nest Wifi Pro was written up before Google announced it will be shutting down Stadia, and the same goes for visual assets. The Nest Wifi Pro’s ‘Overview‘ and ‘How it works‘ pages both contain assets that show individuals holding Stadia controllers. They look happy too, so maybe no one told them the platform is dying.

On a more serious note, the Nest Wifi Pro will be able to do what its ‘Tech Specs’ page says, and provide an optimized connection for Stadia gaming. Google might have left the excerpt in intentionally, with plans to remove it on January 18th, 2023.

Image credit: Google

Via: 9to5Google

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Mobile Syrup

Stadia players plead to Google to expand wireless Stadia controller support

Following the announcement and confirmation that Google is shutting down its cloud-based gaming service Stadia next year, fans are asking the tech giant to expand wireless support for the controller.

Last week, Google informed Stadia players that on January 18th, the platform’s servers are going offline. Alongside this announcement, the company confirmed it’s providing refunds for hardware and software through the Google Play Store. Additionally, Google doesn’t require players to return the hardware to claim a refund.

With this in mind, fans of the Stadia controller have taken to the Google Stadia subreddit to plead with Google, asking the tech giant to update the gamepad to enable wireless use without the need for Stadia or Chromecast. The goal is for the Stadia gamepad to live on as a third-party wireless controller with universal Bluetooth support.

Players can currently use the Stadia controller as a wired gamepad on several platforms, including PCs, Macs and smartphones. However, the gamepad does not support wireless Bluetooth.

Even if Google was unwilling to fulfill the request to update the controller and enable universal Bluetooth, there could still be an option. Some are hoping Google provides a solution to open source the controller’s firmware, which in theory, would allow the feature to be added by Stadia users.

We’ve seen the untimely demise of both hardware and software in the past. In the case of Google Stadia, the writing was on the walls for quite some time. Although the cloud-based gaming technology worked to a certain degree, game support always remained lacklustre.

While it’s hard to gauge how many Stadia controllers there are in the wild, there’s no harm in using them elsewhere, especially since Google doesn’t want to go through the hassle of asking players to return the controller.

Source: Game Developer

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Mobile Syrup

Will you miss Google Stadia?

Google is finally shutting down its cloud gaming service, Stadia, on January 18th, 2023. The tech giant is refunding all Stadia hardware purchased through the Google Store and games and add-on content bought from the Stadia store.

Stadia allowed players to game on the Chromecast Ultra, Android TV and desktops via Google Chrome, Safari and on Android devices/iPhones. The game streaming service streams games at up to 4K resolution at up to 60fps, and offered notable games like Cyberpunk, Destiny 2, Red Dead Redemption 2, Assassin’s Creed Valhalla and more. But unlike competing services like Xbox Cloud Gaming — which is bundled with Xbox Game Pass Ultimate — you needed to purchase titles individually on Stadia in order to play them.

I only ended up using Stadia a few times, and I wasn’t a big fan of it. I don’t have anything against cloud gaming, but I wasn’t too fond of the latency I’d occasionally encounter, though it’s worth noting that the underlying tech powering Stadia is some of the best in the game streaming industry.

That said, I’m definitely not going to miss the service.

Will you miss Google Stadia? Let us know in the comments below.

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Mobile Syrup

Hideo Kojima reportedly pitched a Stadia-exclusive follow-up to Death Stranding

Prior to Google pulling the plug on its poorly supported cloud gaming service, developer Hideo Kojima was working on a potential Stadia-exclusive game.

The dust has just begun to settle, following Google’s abrupt announcement regarding Stadia being nixed. Now, news of an ill-fated partnership with famed Japanese developer Hideo Kojima has surfaced.

According to reports, Kojima was at one point working on a Stadia-exclusive title for Google. The timeframe of this deal appears to have been around mid-2020. Kojima’s Stadia title would have been a follow-up to Death Stranding.

Death Stranding first launched on PlayStation 4 in 2019. At the time, the game was exclusive to the console. The game is heavily narrative-based but is deeply woven with asynchronous multiplayer and community aspects. The game features a diverse cast including Norman Reedus, Mads Mikkelsen, Léa Seydoux, Margaret Qualley, Troy Baker, Tommie Earl Jenkins, and Lindsay Wagner. As Sam Porter Bridges (played by Reedus) players traversed the post-apocalyptic United States. Along the way, players establish networks, roads, and deliver supplies.

Details on this supposed follow-up are scarce at the moment. However, it’s believed that Kojima positioned the game as a single-player-only experience. In fact, this basis is believed to be the reason Google cancelled the project. Google is reported to have believed that the market for single-player exclusives wasn’t viable.

At the time, Kojima’s proposal had only been given initial approval by Google. The developer and studio Kojima Productions then began the early stages of development. Once early mockups were shown, Google pulled the plug.

It wasn’t long after that the card began to fall for Stadia. In 2021, Google shut down the internal Stadia development house. Stadia Games and Entertainment vice president Jade Raymond also left the company at this time. Stadia GM and vice president Phil Harrison then began to pivot to focus on third-party game support. This ultimately led to Harrison breaking the news that Google is shutting down it Stadia services on January 18th, 2023.

As for Death Stranding and Kojima, the game has gone on to be ported to PC and is now also available via Microsoft’s PC Game Pass. Kojima is now working alongside Microsoft on “ a video game for Xbox like no one has ever experienced or seen before.” It’s said the game will utilize the power of the cloud. It seems that Kojima’s sullied partnership with Google did not avert the creator from working with cloud-based tech.

Image credit: Kojima Productions

Source: 9to5Google