The abrupt cancellation of Google's Stadia gaming service has been bad news for thousands of gamers, not least because while Google is refunding the hardware it hasn't offered a solution to another key problem: what happens to the games you've invested so much time in?
If you've already invested in, say, some big-name Ubisoft games then the prospect of having to buy them again on other platforms isn't ideal. And with free-to-play games like Destiny, owning DLC on Stadia doesn't give you that DLC on other platforms – so while you can move your Guardian via cross-play, you'll lose any attributes that came from the DLC unless you buy it again.
The good news is that Bungie, Ubisoft and other big developers want to help.
You might be able to take your Stadia stuff to other devices
According to Ubisoft's senior corporate communications manager Jessica Roache, "“While Stadia will shut down on January 18th, 2023, we’re happy to share that we’re currently working to bring the games you own on Stadia to PC through Ubisoft Connect." Speaking to The Verge (opens in new tab), Roach said that "We’ll have more to share regarding specific details as well as the impact for Ubisoft+ subscribers at a later date." Hopefully that means cloud saves will be able to transfer too. And if you're thinking of rushing to the Stadia store to get an Ubisoft game in the hope of a refund and a free PC copy, you're too late: the store is already shut.
As for Bungie, they turned to their blog (opens in new tab) to post: "“We just learned about Stadia shutting down and have begun conversations about next steps for our players. We will announce and send out information regarding Destiny 2 Stadia accounts once we have a plan of action."
This isn't the game developers' fault: the shutdown was news to them too. And while they don't have to do anything, it's good to see that they're trying to cushion the blow for the gamers who've spend so much time in their worlds.
