Google Stadia cloud gaming service seems to have lost a top video game industry veteran. Before joining the Google Stadia department, Jack Buser was an executive at Sony PlayStation. However, according to ZDNet reports, Jack Buser has been transferred to the Google Cloud service department and will lead related game solutions.
Google confirmed this in a statement to The Verge and said:
Games are still a very important vertical field of our company, and we have seen all products and services showing a huge momentum of development. Jack Buser’s new position will enable us to provide customers with a better service experience through Google Cloud, Stadia, YouTube and other services.
In addition, Stadia general manager Phil Harrison will continue to lead the department, and Michael Abbattista, who will take over in 2020, will also continue to lead the Stadia business development and partner management team.
Obviously, Google is trying to describe Stadia’s business disadvantage as a more ambitious goal, and related efforts may play an important role in promoting Stadia’s future development. When Google announced the closure of the first-party game studio in February of this year, TheVerge editor Amelia Holowaty Krales had already said:
Phil Harrison has sent a clear signal that Stadia will be used as a technology platform for its industry partners in the future, rather than Netflix in the game field, or a place to create groundbreaking games on its own.
It now appears that Jack Buser will definitely develop the entire technology platform for Google’s partners and sell it as part of the Google Cloud business. Even if Google finally decides to put Stadia into the cold palace, through such a tactful operation, the subsequent development may not be more embarrassing.
Another guess is that Google may invest more in different games. ZDNet quoted a Google Cloud spokesperson as saying:
- The idea behind Jack Buser’s transfer is that the company wants to connect with players through a set of products and services.
- For example, the technology giant can provide end-to-end collaboration solutions, including YouTube as a streaming partner for live broadcasts or e-sports events.
