Surely is down to licensing 'only'? Google presumably didn't develop those games, the games still needed to connect to servers, etc. Arguably, it's a benefit to get a new person on your gaming service so Steam, for example, should adopt all those users is the licensing that Google arranged.
If the terms Google had were "we'll sell licenses for your games, but if we shoot down then you have to accept those users as native users", then uses would have been insured against shut-down. I can't see how those terms are worse than if Google were a retailer of those games?
A lot of AAA games are freemium with IAP, surely the acquisition is Cannondale enough that game companies would go for such a deal?
I suppose there wasn't enough upside for Google as people still bought Stadia without any such promise.
If the terms Google had were "we'll sell licenses for your games, but if we shoot down then you have to accept those users as native users", then uses would have been insured against shut-down. I can't see how those terms are worse than if Google were a retailer of those games?
A lot of AAA games are freemium with IAP, surely the acquisition is Cannondale enough that game companies would go for such a deal?
I suppose there wasn't enough upside for Google as people still bought Stadia without any such promise.