Google Stadia 9 Months Later - A Failure?

Last November, that of 2019, Google supposedly joined the 'console race' through their own product of Google Stadia. From day one, consumers were concerned and perplexed over how this product would deliver on its promises as a cloud gaming service under the name of Google. Personally, I never really dabbed an eye - I always thought it was Google simply trying to be ahead of the curve on an idea which is still under development. With that being said, in this discursive article, we'll be tackling the current state of Google Stadia and arguably, its failure to succeed. 

The Promise 

Google's take on cloud gaming offered many incentives to gamers. They boasted that streaming 4K at 60 fps would be as simple as sitting on your sofa, not to mention the added support for HDR. Provided that your internet connection was monstrous enough, a library of games could be yours at the click of a button and following a few purchase screens. Whether you're on a computer, smart TV, smartphone or even a tablet, all that's necessary is te Google Stadia application. 

Adding to this level of compatibility, any 'HID class USB' controllers (most current-gen controllers and some older ones) may be used with the console alongside Google's own proprietary controller. 

By also integrating with YouTube, players could supposedly follow a 'Stadia stream' and utilize the same save state.

Two payment schemes have been offered. The base service is entirely free and involves purchasing games at lower streaming and audio quality. Meanwhile, a Pro service for some extra dosh, involves higher quality streaming and a few free games each month. 

Buying a game involves buying the opportunity to stream it from Google's servers - no having to fuss over copies and storage - play it anywhere and anytime. 

Ok, I'm done playing 'Google Salesman', let's take a closer look at the hot mess that it is now, half a year later. 

The Truth 

Cloud gaming is not an entirely new concept. Two of the most popular and successful implementations have been Playstation Now and GeForce Now from Nvidia. Regardless, there are certain problems involved in this futuristic concept. Input lag, internet speeds and server issues affect all - how these are dealt with depends on the developer. 

According to the community, the best thing about Google Stadia is its controller. Before diving into our own interpretation, let's take a glance at the Metacritic page. Most reviews sit negatively amongst the positives, though there isn't a single 'Extremely Positive' review. Jeff Grubb with VentureBeat had the following to say: 

Right now, Google Stadia is a platform for nobody. The company just doesn’t seem to understand any of the audiences it is trying to reach. ... Its library and outlook are uninspiring to the kinds of people who spend a lot of money on games. Few hardcore players are going to want to build their library on Stadia when they can do the same thing on Xbox with better games, Xbox Game Pass, and the promise of xCloud.

Meanwhile, Google is right that casual players don’t want to spend $300-to-$500 on consoles. But they also don’t want to spend $60 on software. Sure, they might buy Red Dead or FIFA. But that audience is used to getting games for free on mobile devices. So Google Stadia might work, but it doesn’t actually matter.

Some of the most common arguments are mentioned - the major one being the lack of games. Six months later, there are a few more, but the problem remains the exclusivity of games. Why buy a Playstation game on Stadia where you don't have your own copy when you can just buy a Playstation? 

Also, many reviewers complained about the quality of the stream. Yes, while some had a blast, others complained about audio compression, poor frame rate, visuals not actually representing 4k and serious input delay. All this despite strong connections. In this case, the problem is probably in the location of servers and the individual's internet specifics. 

Furthermore, many of the promised features at launch still haven't seen the light of day. Not helping is the fact that Google has been mute in supporting its consumers in this regard. Google Stadia is at the point where it's relying on game developers to allow them to stream their title - and most of the time, these are dated triple AAA titles. 

Developers' Distrust

A total of 28 games are available on the platform half a year later. Surprisingly, there is a lack of indie games which one would imagine would work great on the cloud console. In an interview with Business Insider, an anonymous and prominent indie game developer revealed why many companies are reluctant to work with Google: 

We were approached by the Stadia team. Usually with that kind of thing, they lead with some kind of offer that would give you an incentive to go with them. But the incentive "was kind of non-existent. That's the short of it.

When we're looking at these types of deals. We're looking at 'Is this enough money where we have the resources to make what we want, or is this an exclusivity deal that gives us security?

I highly recommend a read through the original article here as many other interviewed remarks are present.

What is Google anyways? Many would call them an 'experimental' company - everyone knows of their multiple failures in many areas of technology. With the amount of money behind the company, they can afford to experiment and simply cancel everything if it's not looking too hot. 

If you were a young indie game company, would you trust Google to not give up on the Stadia a year later? Would you risk the wasted time in orienting your title for the console? No, this is the sentiment that most of these publishers shared. 

So, if publishers and developers aren't convinced, why should we be? 

Stronger Competition 

Who's Google trying to beat out by developing Google Stadia? Arguably, both Playstation and Xbox. Microsoft launched their xCloud last October as a limited beta to be released fully with next-gen, and it's entirely free parameters made it rather successful. Besides that future competitor, Playstation Now is killing it right now. 

Player counts for Stadia look dismal, Understandably, Google has been shy over showing off their numbers, though most predictions have player numbers ranging somewhere around 10,000 active players. 

Oddly enough, Google Stadia is reminding me a lot of that awful OUYA console from a few years back which had the same promises. Offering an online service involving free games through an online console, it flopped so hard after the false advertising behind it. Accordingly, Google is being criticized similarly in this regard over the concept of 'false advertising' should some of the supposed features are still not here. 

However, recently, more exclusives have been released as you can see for yourself through the Stadia YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQKyy9Wl7hsVn1BP7BC53Yg.

Concluding Remarks - It's Not Too Late 

My worry is that Google will simply cut off everything and give up. Hopefully that doesn't happen - we need competition in the gaming industry to drive better products and prices. In my opinion, besides the obvious fixes of creating more exclusive titles and better user experience, making it free would be great. 

Imagine a Netflix for gaming - where you pay monthly for unlimited access to a library of games? Sounds pretty awesome, doesn't it? If Google Stadia maybe moves in that direction, it could really take the world by storm. I firmly believe we need Google to keep Microsoft and Sony on their toes. 

Google has the resources and the money - but is its heart in it? 

Let us know what you thought of the discussion in the comments section below! 

A YouTube video I would recommend is by WrestleGamia which I watched when researching: https://youtu.be/OkDoVT8Bdq0.