Despite it being made by one of the biggest companies on the planet, Google's Stadia game system has failed to make a significant impact on the industry. With the tech giants reportedly having spent tens of millions of dollars on Stadia, it's become a very expensive lesson in trying to get a slice of the gaming market pie. However, some people on the inside think they know where it went wrong.
According to a recent report, the reason why Google couldn't make Stadia a success was because the company "lacks the resources" to create games in the first place. One source says Google is "ill-equipped" to make it as a game studio. It is a technology company first and foremost, and creating games requires different types of roles that it just isn't known for. It kind of makes sense, in a way. A company that does not specialize in making games is likely to find itself floundering as it tries to work out how a lucrative studio is supposed to function.
As a result, Google went on a hiring spree, looking to add around 2,000 new employees to its ranks over the next five years. While the plan seemed solid, it's alleged that developers joining Google noticed the work environment was not conducive to developing games, with reports saying that certain development toolkits were not allowed due to "security" reasons. It stands to reason that game developers unable to use specific game-making software would impede progress being made for potential titles.
It seems as though misfortune has followed in the cloud gaming system's wake since day one. This is probably not helped by the fact that a recent report suggests a Hideo Kojima horror project was turned down by Google, which, had it come to fruition, could have been a saving grace.
Having said that, it doesn't appear Google is ready to give up on Stadia just yet. With talks of a port of Terraria being developed for the system, it seems as though it may be clinging on for dear life rather than let all that money go to waste. If there is an overarching lesson in all this, it's that maybe Google should stick to what it knows best, which is dominating the technology and search engine markets. For now, the future of Stadia remains pessimistic, but maybe Google can pull something out of the bag to save it from an industry death.
Source: Tech Spot