Google is shutting down its Google Stadia gaming service and offering refunds for games AND hardware. Here’s how to get yours…
The gaming world was surprised this week when Google announced it was shutting its three-year-old gaming service Stadia. Announcing the shutdown, Vice President and General Manager of Stadia, Phil Harrison, said:
“A few years ago, we also launched a consumer gaming service, Stadia. And while Stadia’s approach to streaming games for consumers was built on a strong technology foundation, it hasn’t gained the traction with users that we expected so we’ve made the difficult decision to begin winding down our Stadia streaming service.
“We’re grateful to the dedicated Stadia players that have been with us from the start. We will be refunding all Stadia hardware purchases made through the Google Store, and all game and add-on content purchases made through the Stadia store. Players will continue to have access to their games library and play through January 18, 2023 so they can complete final play sessions. We expect to have the majority of refunds completed by mid-January, 2023.”
Vice President and General Manager of Stadia, Phil Harrison
So yeah, bummer to those users who really loved and used Stadia. But the good news is that Google is offering refunds on games AND hardware. Here’s what you need to know…
What Stadia Hardware Is Eligible For A Refund?
Google says the following hardware purchased through the Google Store is eligible for a refund:
- Stadia Controller
- Founders Edition
- Premiere Edition
- Play and Watch with Google TV packages
Google says most hardware purchases, including the above, purchased through the Google Store will NOT need to be returned to get a refund.
What Stadia Software Is Eligible For A Refund?
Google says the following software purchased through the Stadia Store is eligible for a refund:
- Games
- Add-on purchases
What Is NOT Eligible For A Refund?
Google says Stadia Pro subscriptions are not eligible for refund. The company did not give a reason for this.
How Do I Get A Refund On My Google Stadia Purchases?
Right now, Google hasn’t specified how they are going to refund Stadia users who have purchased hardware or software. However, it’s reasonable to assume Google will make this process as easy as possible – and it’s reasonable to assume the process could be entirely automatic.
However, we need to wait to hear more from Google to find out the exact mechanisms and requirements for a refund. As of September 30, 2022, this is what Google says about Stadia refunds:
“We are working through this process now and will keep this article updated as we define the process for each of the countries and different situations. Our intent is to have the majority of refunds processed back to the original payment by January 18, 2023.”
Google
A further note at the top of its Stadia FAQ page states: “Our support team has no further information to share and will not be able to expedite your refund.”
So that means, for now, everyone needs to hang tight. In the meantime, you may want to play your Stadia games one last time before the service shuts down for good on January 18, 2023.
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