Ubisoft, IO Interactive scrambling to support Stadia players

With Google having announced the closure of Google Stadia, there’s uncertainty about what this means for games tied to the platform. Now Ubisoft, IO Interactive, and other developers are scrambling to let players keep access to titles they’ve purchased on Google’s doomed console.

Such efforts are unusual for both companies in that they’re unusual for any company. Few developers have had to help players who owned versions of their games on consoles where they paid to access the title, but did not acquire a copy of the game.

Stadia is a cloud-based service that let games be played via Google Chrome. Players had to buy the games (and add-ons) themselves, and several developers had their games release on the platform, either alongside other platforms, or as timed exclusives.  

Speaking to Axios, an Ubisoft representative confirmed that it was “currently working” to bring ensure that Stadia players could play the games they own on PC, including Riders Republic and Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, through its Ubisoft Connect service. 

IO Interactive said it’s “exploring other options” for Stadia owners of Hitman III. Similarly, Bungie confirmed it’s having conversations about future steps for Destiny 2 players on Stadia. 

Google has a refund policy in place for Stadia owners. But it’s currently unclear if all developers, or just specific ones, will be financially reimbursed in some capacity.