YouTube Is Testing A New Online Gaming Platform, Despite The Failure of Stadia

If there's one thing YouTube is known for, it's not learning from past mistakes, and it seems that once again, the platform is dipping its toes into online gaming. According to reports, YouTube is experimenting with an all-new online gaming platform known as ‘Playables’.

Now this sort of thing may sound incredibly familiar to you, as the platform has begun development only a few months after Google shut down its failed cloud-gaming super project, Stadia. The story of Google Stadia is definitely a sad one as it only took three years for the platform to be announced, launched and then promptly abandoned by Google, due to a lack of users. But like a phoenix, it would seem that the platform has risen from the proverbial ashes, well sort of. In September 2022, Phil Harrison, the former chief of the project confirmed that Google would indeed still use the cloud technology made for Stadia, but would implement it elsewhere. Elsewhere would appear to be Playables.

 

However, we still don't know for certain if Playables will be the platform that utilizes Stadia's technology, but there does seem to be quite a bit of overlap between the two projects, as both projects boldly claim to try and bring forth much more accessible cloud gaming. The Wall Street Journal reports that YouTube has begun testing cloud gaming platforms internally within the company and cites an email that was sent to Google employees inviting them to join the Playables platform. Reportedly the platform would allow users to both play and share a large variety of games in an instant. Which just so happens to be the exact same thing that Stadia claimed, except this time, it will be done through the YouTube app.

Also, according to reports, the service is supported on both Android and iOS devices and is currently still going through numerous internal tests. There's still not a lot we know about Stadia's spiritual successor as most of the details about the platform, including what games will be available on it, have yet to be released to the public. Well, except for one game, Stack Bounce, which could be the Android exclusive game that sees you break stacks by bouncing a ball, pretty self-explanatory.

Despite how much of a failure Stadia was, it's yet to be seen if Playables will continue in its footsteps or if it will even see the light of day. However, the fact that the project is being worked on proves that at least Stadia isn't truly dead, just a pity Google couldn't keep it alive in the first place.

Daman Shelley (@UndeadandTired)
Editor, NoobFeed