Google’s stance on cloud gaming has manifested itself in various manners in recent years, but many may remember Stadia – the gaming platform it launched late in 2019 before closing in early 2023.
When Google decided to close down Stadia, it was unclear what had happened to its lesser-known B2B counterpart, Immersive Stream for Games.
Throughout its time, business partnerships had slowly developed using the platform, including AT&T offering Batman: Arkham Asylum to its 5G customers for free with Stadia’s technology. Later, it became clear that Google Cloud had hoped that Immersive Stream for Games would be its primary focus, with consumer-oriented Stadia sitting on the back burner.
What happened to Immersive Stream for Games?
Several weeks after Stadia had its curtains drawn, the reasons for Immersive Stream for Games’ disappearance have become more clear. Former Stadia Director of Games Jack Buser explained to Stephen Totilo (opens in new tab):
“We are not offering that streaming option, because it was tied to Stadia itself. So, unfortunately, when we decided to not move forward with Stadia, that sort of [business-to-business] offering could no longer be offered as well.”
While Stadia’s days are over, it seems that Google Cloud still has an interest in gaming. Amid discussions to end Stadia, the company noted that it was at its best helping other people build would-be Stadia rivals, “not necessarily building it ourselves” (Jack Buser, via Axios (opens in new tab)).
The company is now selling cloud services to game publishers as part of Google Cloud for Games (opens in new tab), and cites Sega, Ubisoft, and Nintendo as some of the industry’s giants that build on its cloud.
With the Game Developers Conference in California just weeks away and the company in attendance, it’s unclear whether Google Cloud is set to make any revelations.