Google Stadia is shutting down, refunding purchases

(Image credit: Google)

Google Stadia is officially shutting down, with refunds now being offered to all customers who bought software and hardware through the Google store.

The company announced Stadia's closure in a new blog post, explaining that the service will stay live until January 18, 2023 for players to "complete final play sessions." Refunds for purchases are expected to go out mid-January.

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

Rumors circulated back in July that Google was planning to shutter its foray into video game streaming, but the company assured no such plans were in place, promising "more great games" to come.

As explained in a FAQ article, this means you only have a few short months to finish up any games you've started on Stadia, as once that January deadline rolls around, you likely won't be able to transfer your progress to other platforms. Google says it "anticipates some gameplay issues" when streaming in the interim, particularly in games requiring commerce transactions.

If you bought hardware like the Stadia controller, Founders Edition, Premiere Edition, etc., or software including games and add-ons via Google's official storefronts, Google says you'll be eligible for a full refund. However, Google isn't refunding Stadia Pro subscriptions. Keep tabs on this article for more info on refunds in the near future.

For everything on the horizon regardless of platform, check out our extensive guide to new games of 2022.

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After earning an English degree from ASU, I worked as a corporate copy editor while freelancing for places like SFX Magazine, Screen Rant, Game Revolution, and MMORPG on the side. I got my big break here in 2019 with a freelance news gig, and I was hired on as GamesRadar's west coast Staff Writer in 2021. That means I'm responsible for managing the site's western regional executive branch, AKA my home office, and writing about whatever horror game I'm too afraid to finish.