Google stepped back from plans to create in-house gaming titles for its Stadia platform, admitting high development costs contributed to the decision.

In a blog, VP of Google Stadia Phil Harrison said the unit’s internal development team SG&E will stop producing gaming content, excluding titles already in the pipeline.

The executive explained the cloud gaming platform will focus on “building on the proven technology of Stadia” and “deepening” its business partnerships with third-party game developers, rather than creating “best-in-class games from the ground up”, which took significant time and financial investment, resulting in an exponential cost increase.

Google said it will continue investing in its underlying platform for game developers and publishers to use, as this was “the best path to building Stadia into a long-term, sustainable business”.

Following the move, Stadia games and entertainment VP Jade Raymond has decided to leave the company, while the majority of the internal game development team will shift to other in-house roles.

Current users will be able to play all their games on Stadia and Stadia Pro, as well as access any new third-party titles.

Plans for its own gaming titles were unveiled by Google prior to Stadia’s launch in November 2019.

The Stadia announcement comes almost a fortnight after Google parent Alphabet called time on its HAPS initiative Loon, also due to financial factors.