Released back in November 2019, Google Stadia offered users a way to play games without the hassle of bulky physical hardware. While the product and service created competition in the cloud gaming space, Stadia doesn’t appear to have won that competition. In a statement from Google Stadia VP and Stadia General Manager Phil Harrison, the company announced that the service will be ending on January 18, 2023.
Geoff Keighley, the legend of The Game Awards and Summer Game Fest himself, took to Twitter to ask users about their favorite Google Stadia memory. So let’s answer him.
What is your favorite Google Stadia memory?
— Geoff Keighley (@geoffkeighley) 09/30/2022
Question: What is your favorite Google Stadia memory?
Tekken 7 hits the platform – TJ Denzer hates input lag in FGs
You know what has never mixed well with fighting games? input delay. Especially in Tekken, where every frame can mean the difference between victory and defeat. So when I found out that Tekken 7 was coming to Google Stadia, it sounded like a nightmare scenario. Don’t get me wrong, I always knew Stadia could do a lot of amazing things. Games that required precise timing are not. XCOM? JRPGs? strategy games? Yay, Stadia! That was great use for the platform, but games that require your reactions and inputs to be extra precise, even before bandwidth is factored in for netplay? Man, just Death Fist right in my heart so I don’t have to suffer.
My Behind Closed Doors Demo – Blake Morse, Saw a Stadia in the Wild Once
My only interaction with Stadia was at PAX a few years ago, I think the last one before the pandemic, and I’ve paused such events for the moment. Got a hands-on behind-closed-doors demo with the controller and Mortal Kombat 11. I’m not sure if a fighting game was the best option here, but it was an ambitious attempt to show how well cloud-based gaming works with a game where latency would be a serious issue.
It did… okay?
I mean, if I’m being honest, there were a lot of problems getting the internet to work properly because we were in the middle of a convention hall with thousands of people trying to use it at the same time. That was another ambitious front to try and get people testing Stadia. Actually playing the game wasn’t that bad though, to be honest. The controller was solid enough, basically copying the Xbox’s controller layout and features, and the game looked good. But you could still feel some of that latency. And I think that’s a good metaphor for Stadia overall: it was ambitious to prove something, but until there’s no latency (and who knows if that ever will be a thing), maybe fighting games aren’t necessarily the best use, to show off your cloud gaming experience.
I was there with Blake – Ozzie Mejia, Senior Stadia Follower
I was at this Stadia meeting with Blake at PAX West in Before Times back then. We actually got to look at the controller and get a glimpse of Mortal Kombat 11, which I just checked out earlier this year. I will also say it was fine. I had concerns about latency, but the best I can say is that it certainly ran and the controller felt okay.
Unfortunately, nothing could convince me at the time that it would catch on, especially in rural America where high-speed internet is much harder to come by. I’m saddened that we’re not at a point where something like Stadia can succeed, and that the failure of that first iteration means we probably won’t see anything like it again for a while. At least from Google. Maybe Amazon Luna will take off. Who knows?
Luckstruck9 – Sam Chandler, user of Checkpoints
Destiny 2 has to be one of my favorite games. Even though I play it endlessly, write about it every day and often get frustrated with it, I still love to log in and play. For me, my fondest memory of Google Stadia exists as a tool to make Destiny 2 easier. A legend named Luckstruck9 holds checkpoints with numerous Stadia accounts.
For those who don’t know, holding a control point means sitting in an encounter and keeping it active so players can join you, let them “take” the control point, and then go back to their friends. This is useful if you’re fighting the final boss in a raid but don’t want to play through the other 90 percent.
It’s basically allowed my team to engage with endgame content in a way that fits our schedule. With Google Stadia closing its doors, I don’t know how Luckstruck9 will continue this incredible service. Also check out his incredible Warlock fashion.
Jan owns a Stadia – Bill Lavoy, Knew Better
My favorite Stadia memory is of Shack Air Thursday night host Jan logging into his Stadia and joining me in Destiny 2 so I can redeem bounties for the max XP bonus. I knew straight away that Stadia wasn’t for me. I prefer to let early adopters suffer through the tech growing pains and then jump on the bandwagon when all the issues are fixed. I never got the chance on Stadia, but at least I got some extra XP.
Indie Games on Stadia – Morgan Shaver, indie game lover
I don’t have many clearly defined memories of Google Stadia, as I’ve never personally owned one or ever demoed Stadia. Looking at the list of games on offer, there is a surprising number of great must-play indie games in the Stadia lineup. I’m always excited when it comes to new ways to discover and enjoy indies, so it’s nice to see that Stadia has (or had) a top-notch selection of titles in that regard. Some great indies available through Stadia were Celeste, Enter the Gungeon, Hello Neighbor, Kona, Spiritfarer and many, many more.
Google Announces Stadia at GDC 2019 – Asif Khan, #1 Google Stadia Influencer on the Internet
My favorite Google Stadia moment was the announcement at GDC 2019 ahead of Death Stranding. So many people were sure that a megacorporation like Google would easily crowd out smaller players like Sony and Nintendo. In fact, shares of many console makers fell in the days surrounding Google’s Stadia reveal. Their vision, presented at GDC in 2019, was truly inspired, but the service was marred by a series of fumbling at launch.
Having to pay a subscription and buy games on top of that, with short-lived access to your content, wasn’t all that appealing to a lot of gamers out there. Stadia had a few highlights. It was a viable place to play Destiny 2 and Octopath Traveler was available. So there is.
In the later stages of the platform’s three-year existence, I proclaimed myself the number one Google Stadia influencer on the web. I’ve gained several followers who believe I’m some kind of cloud gaming evangelist, and well, I am. I love the idea of what Google Stadia has achieved and attempted, but I also know that Google killed iGoogle, which was their best thing outside of search and maps. Anyone remember Wave? Buzz?
Anyway, thanks to everyone who worked on Google Stadia, your contributions to cloud-based gaming platforms will never be forgotten… from Microsoft and Amazon… and probably from Apple. GGs, stadiums.
Failed Potential – Steve Tyminski, knew this guy who knew a guy who had Stadia
What is my favorite Google Stadia memory? It’s a bittersweet day in the industry when an idea that had potential ends up not working for one reason or another. I have a few memories of Stadia, none of which involve actually playing it. The first was that I saw Stadia in ads before almost every YouTube video I watched, and my first thought was, “This thing isn’t out yet.” They told you what early buyers would get access to, and they still couldn’t get people to buy it.
My next memory was when I was working on a podcast with my friends and one of our friends told us he had Stadia. It became a running gag on the podcast that I would mess with him because I was one of the few people to catch it. It would be an answer to anything, regardless of the topic. The fact that my memories of Google Stadia have nothing to do with playing it should tell you everything you need to know about how it went.
Cyberpunk 2077 actually runs fine on Stadia – Donovan “Dono” Erskine doesn’t work here anymore
Cyberpunk 2077’s disastrous launch felt like the one time Google Stadia showed its true utility and garnered widespread praise. Given that CD Projekt RED’s highly ambitious RPG was all but unplayable on Xbox One and PS4 at the time of its launch, those without a decent gaming PC were essentially out of luck. Enter Google Stadia. The video game streaming service allowed users without access to high-end hardware to experience Cyberpunk 2077 with everything it had to offer. Friends and people I knew in the gaming industry chose to play Cyberpunk on Stadia and continued rolling credits while playing on the platform. Of course, there were still obstacles for those with mediocre internet connections, but it gave a clear idea of where Stadia might eventually find its audience.
There you have it, Shackers, our fondest memories of Google Stadia. What are your thoughts on Google’s foray into cloud gaming? How do you think the scene will change now that Google is throwing in the towel, or do you think the company will step in with something else? Let us know in the comment section below.
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