As we prepare to enter the next-generation of consoles within the next year or two, a new player is entering the gaming scene. Google is launching a new gaming streaming service called Stadia which allows you to play games without a box hooked up to your TV and even play on your PC, phone, or tablet because STREAMING IS THE FUTURE!
Sounds ambitious, right? Well, with something this ambitious you likely have a lot of questions. What the hell is it? What games are on it? How much does it cost? Well, after today’s Stadia live stream, we have answers! Here’s everything we know for Google’s Stadia.
What is Google Stadia?
Google Stadia allows you to stream the latest and greatest games to various screens such as your TV (provided you have a Chromecast), supported phones and tablets (not iOS at this moment), and your computer. This means you won’t need a console, you won’t need to shell out hundreds of dollars to play new games, and you won’t have to worry about downloads.
Google Stadia works on that Netflix formula where you just click it and the title plays. The catch is that you will still have to buy your games through a digital storefront so they’re not all available to you at will. Google will have a subscription model that does give you free games like Destiny 2, though.
What games are on Google Stadia?
Google Stadia will offer a variety of games at launch including AAA titles like Assassin’s Creed Odyssey, DOOM Eternal, Destiny 2, Ghost Recon Breakpoint, Borderlands 3, and many more. Google and other publishers are remaining tight-lipped about what other games they have to offer but more are expected.
Publishers supporting Stadia are Rockstar Games, Capcom, Ubisoft, Bethesda, Bungie, Warner Bros., and more who will make announcements both at E3 and in the run-up to Stadia’s November release. Google will also offer Stadia exclusive titles but is remaining quiet on what they will have outside of Tequila Works’ Gylt.
You can view the full list of supported titles below, it should be noted not all of the games below will be available this November. Baldur’s Gate 3 was just announced so will likely not be available this year but it will be exclusive to Stadia and PC.
- Assassin’s Creed Odyssey
- Baldur’s Gate 3
- Borderlands 3
- Darksiders Genesis
- Destiny 2
- DOOM
- DOOM Eternal
- Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2
- Farming Simulator 19
- Final Fantasy XV
- Football Manager
- Get Packed
- GRID
- GYLT
- Just Dance
- Metro Exodus
- Mortal Kombat 11
- NBA 2K
- Power Rangers: Battle for the Grid
- Rage 2
- Rise of the Tomb Raider
- Samurai Shodown
- Shadow of the Tomb Raider
- The Crew 2
- The Elder Scrolls Online
- Thumper
- Tomb Raider Definitive Edition
- Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Breakpoint
- Tom Clancy’s The Division 2
- Trials Rising
- Wolfenstein: Youngblood
When and how do you get Google Stadia?
Google Stadia will release this November for $129.99 in 14 territories including the USA (but not Hawaii or Guam) via the “Founder’s Edition”. This includes a Chromecast Ultra (required for streaming to your TV), a controller, three months of Stadia Pro (subscription service), a pass to invite a friend for three months, and dibs on your online username. You can purchase it directly and seemingly exclusively from Google but before you do so, you should take the Google Stadia speedtest to make sure your internet can perform the way it needs to for Stadia.
Stadia Pro is a subscription service that costs $9.99 a month, allowing you to play your games in 4K and get free or discounted games. The first free game that Google showcased was Destiny 2 which will be available for Stadia owners at launch along with all of its expansions including the upcoming Shadowkeep bundled in.
If you don’t want to pay for a subscription or buy the Founder’s Edition, you can wait until 2020 for Stadia Base. This free version of Google’s streaming service allows you to play games in up to 1080p/60FPS so you can enjoy the luxuries of not owning a console while still playing new games.
If you already own a console or controller, Google Stadia will support various controllers already available or you can purchase a Google Stadia controller for $69.99.
What exclusive features does this service offer beyond streaming?
Stadia wants to offer a very social, online experience. So that means you can capture clips from the touch of a button on your controller and share them, you can purchase games and booth them up right away by clicking on YouTube ads, and YouTubers can even stream titles and have open slots in their game that allow viewers to jump in from the stream seamlessly.
Players can also share their saves to other players online. So if there’s a part in your game that you really want your friend to see, you can send them your save and they can boot it up and be exactly where you are. You can also use this to challenge your friends in boss fights amongst other things.
It’s currently unclear which of these features will be available at launch but they’re expected to come to the service at some point.
What are Stadia’s limitations?
Google Stadia requires an internet connection, so you can’t take this out in the world with you currently. Google is hopeful the potential of 5G can change that but you’ll still need a stable connection.
Even then, Google’s services could go down and you could be unable to use it or play any of the games. This isn’t so much a “What if?” situation so much as it is a “When and how often?” as Google’s cloud services went down for numerous services this past week.
With that said, given all your games are being streamed you run the risk of input lag, connection issues, and more. If your internet is unstable, Google Stadia may not be for you but it does have a very welcoming recommended internet speed of 10 MB/s for 720p gameplay.
Google Stadia will release this November.
