The concept of cloud gaming is pretty simple. With a decent internet connection, players can have access to the best games today without the need for expensive hardware. However, for all the promise that the technology held, cloud gaming’s journey has been rough. Today, one of the technology’s biggest names is closing up shop. Starting early next year, Google is shuttering Stadia.

According to a blog post from the Stadia team’s vice president Phil Harrison, the device never really took off in the way the company was expecting. As such, the entire team is shutting down and moving on to other ventures inside the company. However, Google still hopes to use the technology (and the lessons associated with the failed venture) to other branches.

Now, for consumers, the Stadia store is now closed. Anyone who purchased hardware or games through the Play and Stadia Stores will receive refunds during the shutdown period. (However, Stadia Pro subscribers will not get refunds. On the upside, they won’t get charged for additional months.)

The service will shut down on January 18, 2023. In the meantime, Stadia users can still access their library until that date.

The writing has been on the wall for a while now. Previously, the company also shut down the team’s in-game development, limiting what the service offered.

If you’re enjoying cloud gaming as a technology, Google isn’t the only player around. Amazon and Xbox both have their own services dedicated to cloud gamers.

SEE ALSO: Google will alert you if your info pops up in a search

The Steam Deck really set off a new wave of hype for handheld gaming consoles. Chipping away at the Switch’s dominance, the next generation of mobile gaming wants to wrest gamers away from the clutches of smartphones and Nintendo. Today, another player is joining in (or returning to the fight). Razer and Qualcomm are teaming up for their own handheld gaming device.

Well, it’s not an official reveal yet. During MWC Las Vegas, Verizon teased the upcoming partnership and revealed a few details about the device. Much like the new Logitech G Cloud, the Razer Edge 5G, as it’s called, will run on Android and will play the usual cloud gaming services.

Since the partnership involves Qualcomm, expect a good processor inside, too. Plus, with Verizon’s partnership, the device will come with 5G connectivity, as the name also implies.

The Logitech G Cloud also came with a Snapdragon chipset. However, it has a smaller model, the Snapdragon 720G, skipping out on Qualcomm’s handheld gaming platform. Presumably, Razer’s device will come with the G3x Gen 1. When the platform launched, Qualcomm did tease a product with Razer. It’s the device’s first appearance since last year.

Unfortunately, the teaser video does not reveal much outside of what we already know from previous teases. Thankfully, it won’t be long before the official reveal. Razer is expected to unveil the product during RazerCon on October 15.

SEE ALSO: RazerCon 2022 set on October 15

Christmas is right around the corner. If you want to get a head start on buying something for yourself, it’s important to know when the biggest sales are. Now, gamers have a date on when they can bust out their wallets. Valve has officially announced when the autumn, winter, and spring Steam sales are happening.

The next sale — the traditional Autumn Sale — will happen between November 22 through 29. It’s quite a big gap for a head start, but it should give gamers a healthy library to play when the Christmas vacation starts.

On the other hand, if rush shopping is more you, the Winter Sale will happen between December 22 through January 5. It’s a Christmas treat.

If you’re familiar with Steam’s usual calendar of sales, you might not have heard of a Spring Sale before. Traditionally, the platform holds the Lunar New Year Sale in lieu of a seasonal theme. This time, Steam is keeping things consistent. The newly dubbed Spring Sale will happen between March 16 through 23. It’s also a later date than the previous Lunar New Year Sale.

Steam sales are usually a treat for gamers who play on a PC. Though the platform frowns on gigantic 95 percent off discounts now, platform-wide sales events can still house delectable bargains. Now, whether or not you’ll have time to play all of them is another story altogether.

SEE ALSO: Steam: No more 95% off sales