Google, id Software, Bungie targeted in Stadia 4K class-action lawsuit

Doom Eternal Launch Trailer
Doom Eternal Launch Trailer (Image credit: Bethesda)

What you need to know

  • Google, Bungie and id Software are facing a class-action lawsuit over claims of running games on Stadia at 4K.
  • The lawsuit claims that the development studios and Google mislead consumers with what the streaming service was capable of.
  • The plaintiffs are seeking full restitution for the purchase price of Stadia and/or "any damages incurred" as a result of the purchase.

Google, id Software and Bungie are facing a class-action lawsuit over the capabilities of the Stadia streaming platform. The lawsuit, which is 42 pages long, specifically alleges that Google and the other companies were misleading about the performance of games on Stadia, pointing to how Doom Eternal was initially advertised as running at 4K 60 FPS with HDR on the platform before being scaled back at launch.

Bungie and the performance of Destiny 2 on Stadia are under quite similar scrutiny, being advertised as a game that could run at 4K 60 FPS on Stadia but the final product delivering a resolution around 1080. The plaintiff goes on to argue that this has caused damages equal to or exceeding the purchase price of Stadia and seeking restitution. We'll be sure to provide updates on how the case proceeds.

Google has implemented a massive shift with how Stadia will operate in the near future, with its first-party studios organization Stadia Games and Entertainment closing down, with only one game released in the form of Journey to the Savage Planet: Employee of the Month Edition, an updated version of Journey to the Savage Planet, a game released by Typhoon Studios shortly before the team was acquired by Google. The focus is now changing to bringing third-party games to the platform, with Google stating this was the best path ahead to making Stadia a "long-term, sustainable business."

Samuel Tolbert

Samuel Tolbert is a freelance writer covering gaming news, previews, reviews, interviews and different aspects of the gaming industry, specifically focusing on PlayStation on Android Central. You can find him on Twitter @SamuelTolbert