The upcoming streaming service from Google, Stadia, provides access to a bunch of games without needing to own a good computer yourself. It is now confirmed: you can still access the games even if they are no longer available through Stadia or at all.
Will I keep all my games? In short: Yes. Google Stadia allows access to games as long as Stadia is operational. If a publisher ends their collaboration with Google, ceases to exist, or no longer distributes their games, you will still have access to everything you purchased.
The answer to this was given by the head of Stadia, Phil Harrison, in an interview with Gamesradar:
Yes, you still have access to the game. […] It could happen – as we have already seen in the past – that developers or publishers no longer have permission to sell their games to players. This would mean that the games are no longer available to new players, but they remain available to existing players.
How does it work? Through Google Stadia, you do not physically own the purchased games. Instead, you gain access to Stadia’s servers, through which you can then play the corresponding games.
This is somewhat like Google providing you with a gaming PC for free – at least in the base version. You just need the device for streaming, appropriate input devices, and a somewhat good internet connection to play smoothly and properly.
The games from Stadia are partly included in the Pro subscription, like Destiny 2, but usually need to be purchased separately. Purchased games will also remain on the servers for you even if they are removed from the offering itself.
Does it work the other way around?
That is the concern: In a thread on Reddit, this decision by Google is currently viewed rather critically. The community wonders: What if the opposite happens? What if Google stops with Stadia?
There has not yet been a concrete answer to this question. If publishers want to continue working with Google, but Google Stadia is discontinued, what happens to the games? After all, no player owns a physical copy to continue playing.
There is a bit of skepticism regarding this, also about the overall success of Stadia. How well Stadia will perform will only become clear after the release in November 2019.
