Google Stadia's online store has already been shut down, following the recent announcement that the service would no longer be available at the start of next year. Accessible on PC, Android TVs, Chromecast Ultra, and other devices running Chrome OS, Google Stadia is a cloud gaming service that allowed users to stream AAA titles such as Red Dead Redemption 2, Destiny 2, and Far Cry 6. When it was first announced, Google Stadia certainly seemed an ambitious concept, but many were unsure of its future.
Now, after three years of being available, Google has announced the closure of its Stadia services. While there were rumors of Stadia being shut down as far back as early 2021, it seemed that more and more people online had been claiming the service wouldn't live to see the end of 2022. Recently, Google confirmed that Stadia will shut down on January 18, 2023. This means that gamers will no longer be able to access the cloud service at all, but both their hardware and software purchases would be refunded.
While some were shocked to hear that Google Stadia will be shutting down, it seems that this may have been in the works for a while, as the Google Stadia storefront has already been removed. Despite the service still being available until January of next year, it seems gamers that wanted to get their hands on some new titles before Stadia ended won't be able to do so. According to Twitter user stopskeletons, those who try and access the Google Stadia store will now be met with a message that tells them that "Stadia will wind down 18 January, 2023. The Stadia store is now closed."
This move certainly makes sense, because if the store remained open, Google would be taking money from people that it would then have to refund in January. However, something that seems odd to users is that they weren't informed of the store shut down. Essentially, this indicates that Stadia is in its final few months and that Google is all but ready to turn the lights off on its ambitious gaming service. For those who purchased Stadia hardware, the immediate closing of the storefront is likely a frustrating move, especially if they wanted to get their hands on a few titles in the months leading up to the shutdown. However, the Stadia controller will still work as a standard wired controller on both PC and Mac.
Google's decision to close the Stadia storefront without informing its user base seems strange when compared to other planned shutdowns. When Nintendo announced it was closing the Wii U and 3DS eShops, for example, it informed owners of those platforms when they would no longer be able to add funds to their accounts to prevent them from purchasing new games.