Kaser Focus: Rhythm Requiescat, Stadia
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Google's extended adventure in the world of video games was put out of action this week. Stadia will persist in diminished form for a few months, allowing everyone to recoup their spent money, if not time, on their bodies. After all the money Google has spent bringing big-name games to its platform, it still hasn't been able to get the necessary support. Not to speak ill of the deceased recently, but I see his downfall with a mixture of bewilderment and slight melancholy. I'm sorry for the developers and gamers caught off guard by the news, but not so much for the megacorporation that sniffed out Stadia's execution.
For those who don't know, I have a history with Stadia, primarily as one of its reviewers. I was very skeptical of Google's claims about its new service - one of the first posts I wrote about it was to point out that, contrary to its claims to be a console-less gaming service, the only way to access it at launch was to purchase a $129 "Founder's Edition" with a Chromecast. Additionally, I criticized the company for trying to position its product as a "solution" to expensive console games, while Stadia would rely on reliable and fast internet, which in itself isn't cheap.
In hindsight, I may not have been entirely fair to Stadia. I briefly subscribed to Stadia Pro, both out of genuine curiosity and a desire to critique it from an educated perspective. I wasn't particularly impressed or offended by what I saw, although I liked Gylt from Tequila Works. Although the platform itself didn't impress me, I now recognize that cloud gaming has more of a future in the gaming world than I had anticipated at the time. However, I still maintain that Google wasn't going to get us there. The idea was good (somewhat) - the execution was not.
So in other news, Skull and Bones has been pushed back even further. I'm not sure what could possibly go wrong that a few more months of development might fix, but at this point I just want this game off the "coming soon" release schedule. And just to prove that I'm not completely sour, I've really enjoyed what I've seen of Slime Rancher 2 so far! I played there last weekend and loved returning to the land of jelly beings and candy-colored foliage. If Google hadn't decided to scrap Stadia, this week's Kaser Focus might have been just a review of Slime Rancher 2.
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Join gaming leaders live October 25-26 in San Francisco to examine the next big opportunities within the gaming industry.
register hereWhat's New:
FIFA 23 Deathverse: Let Him Die Based Valkyrie Elysee Lunar scars Railgrade Dome Guardian Terra Invicta Brewmaster: Beer Brewing SimulatorNew to subscription services:
Let's Build a Zoo (Xbox Game Pass) Valheim (Xbox Game Pass) Windbound (Xbox games with gold) Skate Bird (Luna Prime) Earthworm Jim 2 (Luna Prime) Pinball Star Wars (Luna Prime) Champion of Monster Trucks...
Want to learn more about the future of the video game industry? Join gaming executives to discuss emerging parts of the industry in October at GamesBeat Summit Next. Sign up today.
Google's extended adventure in the world of video games was put out of action this week. Stadia will persist in diminished form for a few months, allowing everyone to recoup their spent money, if not time, on their bodies. After all the money Google has spent bringing big-name games to its platform, it still hasn't been able to get the necessary support. Not to speak ill of the deceased recently, but I see his downfall with a mixture of bewilderment and slight melancholy. I'm sorry for the developers and gamers caught off guard by the news, but not so much for the megacorporation that sniffed out Stadia's execution.
For those who don't know, I have a history with Stadia, primarily as one of its reviewers. I was very skeptical of Google's claims about its new service - one of the first posts I wrote about it was to point out that, contrary to its claims to be a console-less gaming service, the only way to access it at launch was to purchase a $129 "Founder's Edition" with a Chromecast. Additionally, I criticized the company for trying to position its product as a "solution" to expensive console games, while Stadia would rely on reliable and fast internet, which in itself isn't cheap.
In hindsight, I may not have been entirely fair to Stadia. I briefly subscribed to Stadia Pro, both out of genuine curiosity and a desire to critique it from an educated perspective. I wasn't particularly impressed or offended by what I saw, although I liked Gylt from Tequila Works. Although the platform itself didn't impress me, I now recognize that cloud gaming has more of a future in the gaming world than I had anticipated at the time. However, I still maintain that Google wasn't going to get us there. The idea was good (somewhat) - the execution was not.
So in other news, Skull and Bones has been pushed back even further. I'm not sure what could possibly go wrong that a few more months of development might fix, but at this point I just want this game off the "coming soon" release schedule. And just to prove that I'm not completely sour, I've really enjoyed what I've seen of Slime Rancher 2 so far! I played there last weekend and loved returning to the land of jelly beings and candy-colored foliage. If Google hadn't decided to scrap Stadia, this week's Kaser Focus might have been just a review of Slime Rancher 2.
EventNext GamesBeat Summit 2022
Join gaming leaders live October 25-26 in San Francisco to examine the next big opportunities within the gaming industry.
register hereWhat's New:
FIFA 23 Deathverse: Let Him Die Based Valkyrie Elysee Lunar scars Railgrade Dome Guardian Terra Invicta Brewmaster: Beer Brewing SimulatorNew to subscription services:
Let's Build a Zoo (Xbox Game Pass) Valheim (Xbox Game Pass) Windbound (Xbox games with gold) Skate Bird (Luna Prime) Earthworm Jim 2 (Luna Prime) Pinball Star Wars (Luna Prime) Champion of Monster Trucks...What's Your Reaction?
