Google Stadia Refunds Going Out This Week

Google has begun to process refunds for its Stadia streaming service, which the internet giant announced would be shut down back in September. Refunds are being processed by an automated system, and users who purchased games and add-on content will get their money back soon.

In a statement, Google asked fans to be patient in this process and urged people to not contact Google's customer support, because they are unable to expedite the refund process. The majority of refunds are expected to be processed by January 18, 2023, which is the day that Stadia's servers are shutting down.

Refunds are being applied to the same form of payment used to make the purchase originally. Should there be any processing issues, Google will reach out by email with details on next steps.

Refunds are available for the following Stadia products and services:

• All Stadia hardware, including the controller, Founder's edition, Premiere edition, and Play and Watch with Google TV packages
• Software, including games, add-ons, and in-game transactions

Google is not refunding Stadia Pro subscription fees issued prior to September 29, 2022. People who had an active Stadia Pro membership as of September 29 will not be charged to access their library or any other subscription benefits until the service shuts down in January. The Stadia Store is already closed.

For more on Stadia's forthcoming shutdown, check out the refund FAQ page.

In response to Stadia's shutdown, developers like Ubisoft and Bungie announced plans to salvage what they can. Stadia is closing down, but it had big, disruptive ideas that others should borrow, GameSpot's Steve Watts argues.