(Reuters) – Google’s Alphabet Inc said on Monday it would halt the in-game game development for Stadia, making the cloud-based game streaming service completely dependent on titles from other game developers and publishers.
Stadia was launched in 2019 along with an internal game development unit that was expected to make titles for the platform.
The company said Monday it is shutting down the unit due to the high cost associated with developing games that attract users.
“Creating the best classic games from the start takes many years and significant investment, and the costs increase exponentially,” said Phil Harrison, vice president and general manager of Google Stadiums, in a blog post. (bit.ly/2YDcfqQ)
Harrison also said that Jade Raymond, head of Google’s Stadia Games and Entertainment, will be leaving the company to take advantage of other opportunities.
Stadia experienced an increase in users last year after the technology giant gave two months free access to its premium version to gamers hiding at home due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Reporting by Akanksha Rana and Tiyashi Datta in Bengaluru; Edited by Aditya Soni