How to get a refund on Google Stadia purchases

Google Stadia will be shutting down on January 18, 2023. The cloud streaming system created by Google never quite launched, and because multiple people have invested in the service, Google wants to make sure anyone who did can get the money back. Refunds are available for all Google Stadia purchases, but there’s a process. This guide covers how to get a refund in Google Stadia Purchases.

How refunds for Google Stadia purchases work

There is a catch for the Google Stadia purchases. A purchase that can be refunded needs to have been through the Google Store. This is available for any Google Stadia hardware and games associated with those services. If you purchased Stadia hardware or a game from the Google Store, you should receive a refund before the end of mid-January, which is likely close to, or at the same time, as when the service shuts down.

The Stadia hardware that can be refunded will be Stadia Controllers, any Founder Editions, the Premiere Edition, and the Play and Watch with Google TV packages. The Stadia Pro subscription cannot be refunded. Most of the hardware you purchased from Google will not need to be returned. However, the Google Stadia team will post more information about what needs to be sent back to them on the Google Stadia Support page, which you will want to review.

Previously, the policy for Google Stadia purchases was that you had to make it within 14 days of purchasing the item, and you needed less than two hours of playtime. This is similar to the Steam policy that many who play games are likely familiar with. This policy is no longer the case with Stadia shutting down. Again, all refunds will be through the Google Store, not an outside source.