After the closure of Google’s internal studios, it was safe to say that Stadia failed. Google knows this, and it’s reportedly looking to rebrand the service in order to salvage it. That means giving it a new name and position in the market.
The report comes from Business Insider, and it says the new name for Google Stadia is Google Stream. The name certainly fits better with other Google Suite applications, and it implies use beyond gaming. That seems to be Google’s goal with the renaming, as it’s reportedly shopped the service around to not only game developers like Bungie and Capcom, but also to companies like Peloton.
The game-streaming uses of Google’s tech are obvious, but meeting with a fitness company like Peloton is interesting. The tech could also be used for Peloton’s own fitness broadcasts of course, but it also implies the use of Google Stream for things like music, movies, and other entertainment. There are still plenty of good games on Stadia at this time, but bringing AAA titles to the service hasn’t been Google’s priority in some time. There’s a “reduced interest in negotiating” for games like that, according to Business Insider’s report.
Google Stream, née Stadia, is still significant enough to be included in Samsung’s new gaming hub, however. The manufacturer’s 2022 TV models will have Stadia, GeForce Now, and other streaming services built right in.
