Stadia FAQ

General and high profile video game topics.
User avatar
VideoGameCritic
Site Admin
Posts: 18102
Joined: April 1st, 2015, 7:23 pm

Stadia FAQ

Postby VideoGameCritic » July 9th, 2019, 6:29 pm

Apparently Google has posted a FAQ about the new Stadia streaming system.

https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2019/07/ ... elistings/

"Once you purchase the game, you own the right to play it."
Notice you don't own the game - only the right to play. You'd think buying the right would be a lot cheaper huh?

"Outside of unforeseen circumstances, Stadia will aim to keep any previously purchased title available for gameplay."
Here you go - Google left themselves an escape clause which could be applied to just about any circumstance.

Thoughts?

Sonicx9
Posts: 1818
Joined: April 27th, 2015, 6:37 pm

Re: Stadia FAQ

Postby Sonicx9 » July 9th, 2019, 6:49 pm

VideoGameCritic wrote:Apparently Google has posted a FAQ about the new Stadia streaming system.

https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2019/07/ ... elistings/

"Once you purchase the game, you own the right to play it."
Notice you don't own the game - only the right to play. You'd think buying the right would be a lot cheaper huh?

"Outside of unforeseen circumstances, Stadia will aim to keep any previously purchased title available for gameplay."
Here you go - Google left themselves an escape clause which could be applied to just about any circumstance.

Thoughts?


I knew this thing was going to crash and burn and so far it all but true at the rate things are going for this cloud streaming console/services. It a total scam and anyone who was sukered into it should get a big slap in the face as it a rip off.

Edward M
Posts: 17
Joined: June 11th, 2015, 10:52 pm

Re: Stadia FAQ

Postby Edward M » July 11th, 2019, 1:07 am

I want the Stadia to fail, but I fear its the future of gaming, even if this model fails. The game companies want the games to be streamed to you like a service like Netflix. That means they have complete control over the product. Gamers on the other hand lose out, especially if a product is removed from the service. If that happens, and the game was never available on a non streaming system, there is no way to play it, not even piracy. So if the future is streaming consoles, expect there to be a lot of "lost" games in the future, that developers either take away to hype up as a "timed exclusive" or they simply lose the rights to, as could be the case with licensed games, especially sports games.

Stadia may be too far ahead of the curve to be successful. But I have no question that Microsoft, Sony, EA, and all the other big companies will be observing it closely to see if they can duplicate it. They may be willing to anger a large section of their customer base to have the complete control over the product a streaming console offers. They probably see the trade off as being worth it.

Voor
Posts: 1555
Joined: April 14th, 2015, 8:08 pm

Re: Stadia FAQ

Postby Voor » July 11th, 2019, 6:50 am

From the company’s perspective, why do they want control over the games? What’s the difference (to them) whether you spend $250 a year on physical games or $250 a year on a streaming service?

User avatar
ActRaiser
Posts: 1544
Joined: April 8th, 2015, 12:38 pm

Re: Stadia FAQ

Postby ActRaiser » July 11th, 2019, 8:44 am

Voor wrote:From the company’s perspective, why do they want control over the games? What’s the difference (to them) whether you spend $250 a year on physical games or $250 a year on a streaming service?


Subscription revenues typically have a higher valuation. It's a recurring revenue stream typically with much better margins. Similarly, it's a predictable revenue stream. Imagine a gaming company with a Netflix like valuation added to your companies war chest. Netflix is worth about $165 Billion at the moment. It's on its way out but you can see that for a good decade or more it's been incredibly profitable. If Google can do the same, well, there's your answer. It's all about the money.

User avatar
ActRaiser
Posts: 1544
Joined: April 8th, 2015, 12:38 pm

Re: Stadia FAQ

Postby ActRaiser » July 11th, 2019, 9:43 am

The other huge point to this is that Google is in front of the money. That's HUGE. As a result, a number of the middle men from the retail side goes away completely. There's no warehousing or store involved. And if they can keep the price at $60 then a good chunck of that stays with Google. The potentially addressable market is massive, ie anyone with a browser.

Edward M
Posts: 17
Joined: June 11th, 2015, 10:52 pm

Re: Stadia FAQ

Postby Edward M » July 11th, 2019, 6:23 pm

Voor wrote:From the company’s perspective, why do they want control over the games? What’s the difference (to them) whether you spend $250 a year on physical games or $250 a year on a streaming service?


The game companies believe (and are probably correct) that people will spend more in an always online environment, by selling subscriptions, DLC, Microtransactions, and anything else they can think of. Also, if games are only available through streaming services, that essentially eliminates piracy. Also, they will probably start adding advertisements, and all of this is easiest on a streaming service. I don't think they are on even playing fields. Game companies see more opportunities to monitize games the more online they are. And there is nothing more online than a streamed game. However, this is a Raw deal for gamers, who lose rights to their game. See the opening post where Dave mentioned that Google gave themselves an out to take games away in their terms. Games are slowly becoming less about the artform and more about finding new ways to make money.

User avatar
C64_Critic
Posts: 440
Joined: April 11th, 2015, 11:51 am

Re: Stadia FAQ

Postby C64_Critic » July 11th, 2019, 9:21 pm

Voor wrote:From the company’s perspective, why do they want control over the games? What’s the difference (to them) whether you spend $250 a year on physical games or $250 a year on a streaming service?


Don't forget about the resale market - companies have been trying to figure out a way for YEARS to figure out how to keep people from buying their games new, and then selling them later to someone else at a discount. They just assume that that second sale is a sale they missed out on at full price (incorrectly, in my opinion).

Seriously though, you all realize you haven't actually had true, physical copies of games for quite awhile now correct? That shiny DVD you're using to install/play your game doesn't have the full game on it, and companies have had control over whether or not you can play your game (based on their desire to allow it) for years. Well, for the most part, I believe there are some very limited examples of games you can purchase a physical copy of it and play it right from the disk with zero internet access required, but they are almost non-existent.

Sonicx9
Posts: 1818
Joined: April 27th, 2015, 6:37 pm

Re: Stadia FAQ

Postby Sonicx9 » July 13th, 2019, 8:36 pm

Rather late but here goes nothing:

Edward M wrote:I want the Stadia to fail, but I fear its the future of gaming, even if this model fails. The game companies want the games to be streamed to you like a service like Netflix. That means they have complete control over the product. Gamers on the other hand lose out, especially if a product is removed from the service. If that happens, and the game was never available on a non streaming system, there is no way to play it, not even piracy. So if the future is streaming consoles, expect there to be a lot of "lost" games in the future, that developers either take away to hype up as a "timed exclusive" or they simply lose the rights to, as could be the case with licensed games, especially sports games.

Stadia may be too far ahead of the curve to be successful. But I have no question that Microsoft, Sony, EA, and all the other big companies will be observing it closely to see if they can duplicate it. They may be willing to anger a large section of their customer base to have the complete control over the product a streaming console offers. They probably see the trade off as being worth it.


I also want Stadia to flop as well, and what odd is why is Square Enix Avengers game coming to Stadia which is unproven but not the Nintendo Switch which is more proven is just mind blowing and mind you many games have not been announced for Stadia that are newer post release games for the service and mostly old games, and we do not know about exclusives which sucks for the service. In fact this video also hate Stadia as well and you/critic and other should watch it.: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JtB7JDfquvU and what odd is people are defending the service WTH!

Edward M wrote:
The game companies believe (and are probably correct) that people will spend more in an always online environment, by selling subscriptions, DLC, Microtransactions, and anything else they can think of. Also, if games are only available through streaming services, that essentially eliminates piracy. Also, they will probably start adding advertisements, and all of this is easiest on a streaming service. I don't think they are on even playing fields. Game companies see more opportunities to monitize games the more online they are. And there is nothing more online than a streamed game. However, this is a Raw deal for gamers, who lose rights to their game. See the opening post where Dave mentioned that Google gave themselves an out to take games away in their terms. Games are slowly becoming less about the artform and more about finding new ways to make money.


The Google Stadia is only good for online only live service garbage which I can not stand, and if you watch Jim Sterling videos you know what I am talking about. Stadia is also getting fighting games which need low input lag and mind you it will be painful to play them on Stadia based on streaming input lag.

C64_Critic wrote:
Don't forget about the resale market - companies have been trying to figure out a way for YEARS to figure out how to keep people from buying their games new, and then selling them later to someone else at a discount. They just assume that that second sale is a sale they missed out on at full price (incorrectly, in my opinion).

Seriously though, you all realize you haven't actually had true, physical copies of games for quite awhile now correct? That shiny DVD you're using to install/play your game doesn't have the full game on it, and companies have had control over whether or not you can play your game (based on their desire to allow it) for years. Well, for the most part, I believe there are some very limited examples of games you can purchase a physical copy of it and play it right from the disk with zero internet access required, but they are almost non-existent.


It not always true as I can think of a decent share of games namely on the Nintendo Switch that have zero patches and DLC namily physical releases of download only games or late ports.: http://www.benoitren.be/switch-gamepatches.html or lucky titles that are complete at launch which is rather rare unfortunately.


Return to “Video Games General”