Storefront shutdown: Difference between revisions

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Launched in November 2019, Stadia was the first cloud gaming service with a storefront. Its storefront was abruptly shut down for users in September 2022 without notice, and the entire service shuttered in 2023.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Robertson |first=Joshua |date=30 Sep 2022 |title=Google Stadia's Storefront Has Already Been Shut Down |url=https://www.thegamer.com/google-stadias-storefront-already-shut-down/ |url-status=live |access-date=8 May 2025 |website=TheGamer}}</ref> As the shutdown of the service meant users who made purchases on the platform could not play the products they paid for, Google refunded purchases of both hardware and software for the platform,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Bradshaw |first=Kyle |date=29 Sep 2022 |title=Google Stadia is shutting down in January, all purchases will be refunded |url=https://9to5google.com/2022/09/29/google-stadia-shutting-down/ |url-status=live |access-date=8 May 2025 |website=9to5google.com}}</ref> however many platform-exclusive titles<ref>{{Cite web |last=@SFBTom |date=29 Sep 2022 |title=Tangle Tower was due to launch on Stadia in 2 days time, and this article was the first I heard about it shutting down 😢 |url=https://x.com/SFBTom/status/1575558078367690752 |url-status=live |access-date=8 May 2025 |website=[[X]]}}</ref> were never re-released,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Schoon |first=Ben |date=22 Dec 2022 |title=What’s the plan for Stadia exclusive games? Here’s what we know so far |url=https://9to5google.com/2022/12/22/stadia-exclusive-games/ |url-status=live |access-date=8 May 2025 |website=9to5google.com}}</ref> so users couldn't reliably replace the software that they paid for. <!-- Maybe pile for things to list:

Big Sea Games: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_Fish_Games -->

=== Leap Frog / Leapster Connect (2008-2021) ===

As of September 30, 2021, the LeapFrog Leapster Connect software was discontinued and shut-down <ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-11-08 |title=Leapster Explorer and LeapsterGS |url=https://www.leapfrog.com/en-us/support/appmessage |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250618141808/https://www.leapfrog.com/en-us/support/appmessage |archive-date=2025-06-18}}</ref>. These devices are no longer able to connect to the storefront to access bought games and use advertised features. The devices such as (but not limited to) the Leapster, Leapster Explorer, My Own Story Time Pad, My Own Leaptop, Crammer, Didj & Leapster2 continue to work as-is offline with previously downloaded content however any titles purchased and not downloaded to the device itself prior to being discontinued are no longer accessible. The software was also required to connect the device to your PC and manage content on the device including access/transfer user content and sending messages to and from your child <ref>{{Cite web |date=2018-08-13 |title=Do I need to connect My Own Leaptop to the computer to use it? |url=https://leapfrog.happyfox.com/kb/article/138-2003/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250810103234/https://leapfrog.happyfox.com/kb/article/138-2003/ |archive-date=2025-08-10}}</ref>.

==Attempted storefront shutdowns==

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 Launched in November 2019, Stadia was the first cloud gaming service with a storefront. Its storefront was abruptly shut down for users in September 2022 without notice, and the entire service shuttered in 2023.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Robertson |first=Joshua |date=30 Sep 2022 |title=Google Stadia's Storefront Has Already Been Shut Down |url=https://www.thegamer.com/google-stadias-storefront-already-shut-down/ |url-status=live |access-date=8 May 2025 |website=TheGamer}}</ref> As the shutdown of the service meant users who made purchases on the platform could not play the products they paid for, Google refunded purchases of both hardware and software for the platform,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Bradshaw |first=Kyle |date=29 Sep 2022 |title=Google Stadia is shutting down in January, all purchases will be refunded |url=https://9to5google.com/2022/09/29/google-stadia-shutting-down/ |url-status=live |access-date=8 May 2025 |website=9to5google.com}}</ref> however many platform-exclusive titles<ref>{{Cite web |last=@SFBTom |date=29 Sep 2022 |title=Tangle Tower was due to launch on Stadia in 2 days time, and this article was the first I heard about it shutting down 😢 |url=https://x.com/SFBTom/status/1575558078367690752 |url-status=live |access-date=8 May 2025 |website=[[X]]}}</ref><!-- Someone archive this tweet so users can read it without potentially needing an account --> were never re-released,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Schoon |first=Ben |date=22 Dec 2022 |title=What’s the plan for Stadia exclusive games? Here’s what we know so far |url=https://9to5google.com/2022/12/22/stadia-exclusive-games/ |url-status=live |access-date=8 May 2025 |website=9to5google.com}}</ref> so users couldn't reliably replace the software that they paid for. <!-- Maybe pile for things to list:
 Big Sea Games: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_Fish_Games -->
+=== Leap Frog / Leapster Connect (2008-2021) ===
+As of September 30, 2021, the LeapFrog Leapster Connect software was discontinued and shut-down <ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-11-08 |title=Leapster Explorer and LeapsterGS |url=https://www.leapfrog.com/en-us/support/appmessage |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250618141808/https://www.leapfrog.com/en-us/support/appmessage |archive-date=2025-06-18}}</ref>. These  devices are no longer able to connect to the storefront to access bought games and use advertised features. The devices such as (but not limited to) the Leapster, Leapster Explorer, My Own Story Time Pad, My Own Leaptop, Crammer, Didj & Leapster2 continue to work as-is offline with previously downloaded content however any titles purchased and not downloaded to the device itself prior to being discontinued are no longer accessible. The software was also required to connect the device to your PC and manage content on the device including access/transfer user content and sending messages to and from your child <ref>{{Cite web |date=2018-08-13 |title=Do I need to connect My Own Leaptop to the computer to use it? |url=https://leapfrog.happyfox.com/kb/article/138-2003/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250810103234/https://leapfrog.happyfox.com/kb/article/138-2003/ |archive-date=2025-08-10}}</ref>.
 ==Attempted storefront shutdowns==