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In early February, we were shocked when Google announced the end of its efforts to run game development studios in-house, and it turns out the developers were just as surprised. Just days before the public announcement, Stadia Managing Director Phil Harrison sent a mass email to Stadia Games & Entertainment (SG&E) employees, congratulating them on “great progress” so far. .
A report of Kotaku today highlights an internal email sent by Harrison in the week leading up to the shutdown of Stadia Games & Entertainment. In the email, Harrison praised the “great strides” made by SG&E studios to date, saying Google would confirm the “SG&E investment envelope” shortly, which would inform the division’s strategy and goals. in 2021. The email read in part:
[Stadia Games and Entertainment] has made great strides in building a diverse and talented team and creating a strong lineup of games exclusive to Stadia. We will soon confirm the SG&E investment envelope, which, in turn, will inform the SG&E strategy and 2021 [objectives and key results].
To make matters worse, Harrison apparently admitted later (three days after the public disclosure) that he was aware of the impending studio shutdown at the time of sending this email. Apparently, SG&E employees learned of the studio closing almost at the same time as the audience. Looking back with a little perspective, a bit heartbreaking tweet an SG&E creative director for the day seems to confirm this detail.
Perhaps the most frustrating detail in this report is the impact the shutdown has on the more than 150 developers Google has hired for SG&E. A source apparently said: “We have been reassured for several years, and now not.” Google previously mentioned that it would find new positions for employees moved to other parts of the company, but apparently the company is struggling to do so because the employees hired have specialized skills that other positions cannot. can not enjoy. Google’s mismanagement of the situation doesn’t end there either, as sources also said employees faced a “serious lack of resources,” including difficulty obtaining the necessary hardware and software and that the company no longer employs people despite its ambitious goals. This hiring freeze was reported in April.
A February 4 call saw a question-and-answer session between Harrison and Stadia employees which was described by one person as “an unsuccessful attempt to extract some sort of responsibility from the management of Stadia.” While Harrison didn’t provide the answers some were hoping for as to why the studio was shut down so early, he specifically pointed to Microsoft’s acquisition of Bethseda as one of the many factors that led to Google’s decision. Another factor was apparently COVID-19, which is a headache considering how the pandemic has boosted the gaming industry despite negative effects on development (delays etc).
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