Google will no longer make games for its Stadia streaming service. The company recently announced it was shutting down its studios in Montreal and Los Angeles. Gaming industry veteran Jade Raymond, who lead the game development division, is leaving the company. But Phil Harrison, Stadia vice president and general manager, wrote in a blog post that Google would continue to invest in the service.
"Creating best-in-class games from the ground up takes many years and significant investment, and the cost is going up exponentially," Harrison wrote. "Given our focus on building on the proven technology of Stadia as well as deepening our business partnerships, we've decided that we will not be investing further in bringing exclusive content from our internal development team SG&E [Stadia Games and Entertainment], beyond any near-term planned games."
Some titles SG&E was able to release since the first studio opened in 2019 include Orcs Must Die! 3, Outcasters, and Submerged: Hidden Depths.
According to Harrison, most team members will be moving on to other roles, and the company will help them find new positions.
What Google wants to focus on is bringing third-party games to the platform. Harrison said this idea is the "best path to building Stadia into a long-term, sustainable business."
Source: Engadget