Even if the official tool does shut down, a quick search shows several projects on GitHub to replace the official flashing utility. This seems to include a backup of the original site [1], an extended version [2] and a dump of the firmware [3].

[1] https://github.com/bestadamdagoat/stadiaupdatetool

[2] https://github.com/luigimannoni/stadia-controller-flasher

[3] https://github.com/Scyne/stadiaRawBtFw

First of all, good on Google for developing a Bluetooth firmware the hardware they are otherwise bricking.

I have one of these Stadia controllers and recently tried to play Cup Head (a notoriously hard 2d shooter) with it. I found the Bluetooth latency to make this unplayable. I would estimate it to be 2x or 3x the latency of a PS3 or PS4 controller. Anyone want to pontificate on whether that's a hardware limitation or a software implementation issue? (I was playing via Steam on Linux and tried all 3 controllers.)

I don't have other controllers to compare against but found the Bluetooth latency on Linux similarly poor. Unsure if Linux problem or if this is limitation of Bluetooth.

Given I play at my desk I'm just using a lightweight USB cable which has zero issues plus avoids any other bluetooth weirdness.

Why does this need to be something that can shut down? Has anyone considered releasing a locally-run utility to convert the controller to a bluetooth one?

Google has so thoroughly gotten used to deploying everything as a web service it has forgotten how to actually ship a binary outside the chrome team.

Sounds like a dream

Maybe the firmware update process requires access to some secrets (like a signing key) which Google can't release?

Dormant bluetooth my ass.