Google announces that first-party Google Stadia studios are closing

Google’s entry into gaming via an innovative streaming service, Google Stadia, will see all of its internal development studios shuttered.

Announced by Google earlier today, Google Stadia will be closing its first-party development studios to focus on providing third-party titles to its limited consumer base.

Stadia will lose both its Montreal and Los Angeles studios, two teams that were constructed purely to work on Stadia content. Neither team has yet to release a game.

The closure of both Stadia studios will see more than 150 developers lose their jobs, although Google is looking to place developers in other roles at the company.

“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, beyond any near-term planned games,” Google said in a statement.

“With the increased focus on using our technology platform for industry partners, Jade Raymond has decided to leave Google to pursue other opportunities. We greatly appreciate Jade’s contribution to Stadia and wish her the best of luck in her future endeavors. Over the coming months, most of the SG&E team will be moving on to new roles. We’re committed to working with this talented team to find new roles and support them.”

https://youtu.be/4fqISnoC9BI

Despite the closure of two teams, Google cites the recent launch of Cyberpunk 2077 as evidence that there is demand for their service.

“With the recent successful launch of Cyberpunk 2077 on Stadia, gameplay on all types of devices, including iOS, growing our slate of YouTube integrations, and our global expansions, it’s clear that Stadia’s technology has been proven and works at scale,” the company wrote.

“Having games streamed to any screen is the future of this industry, and we’ll continue to invest in Stadia and its underlying platform to provide the best cloud gaming experience for our partners and the gaming community.”

Stadia’s functionality is still growing. Recently, Google Stadia players got access to the Share State feature, allowing one player to send a playable slice of a game to another. It supports three games, all Hitman.