Tag Google Stadia

In March 2019, during the Game Developers Conference in San Francisco, Google announced its first-ever step into the gaming sector of entertainment: Google Stadia. The cloud-based gaming platform was presented as the perfect entertainment system for everyone, from casual to more serious gamers with access from a variety of devices. So, what is it and on what games can you count on? 

How Does Google Stadia Work?

Even though everyone expected it to be “Netflix for games” when it was announced, but Google actually clarified it and explained that it will be working in a somewhat different way. Even though users will be able to access a catalog of free games at some point with a fixed monthly subscription fee, that is not the main focus of the service and won’t even be available from the start. The catalog currently offers only “Destiny 2” game, but it will be updated over time. 

Google explains that users will be able to purchase the games, not just rent them, in a similar way as it can be done with Steam. The games offered by Google Stadia can be played across a variety of devices, including Pixel 3 smartphone and above and Chrome browser on your laptop or desktop computer. For those who purchase the Founder’s Edition will also be able to cast and play on the TV thanks to the Chromecast Ultra device. The list of compatible platforms might expand over time. 

Put into numbers, through the partnership with AMD, Google is planning to create a GPU specifically for the data centres which will provide 10.7 teraflops which is almost double what it provided by both PS4 Pro and Xbox One X. We also can’t forget that there is going to be 2.7GHz x86 processor with 16GB of RAM standing behind each Stadia use.

For the game developers for Google Stadia, Google announced new ways for creating titles and games in their own design style, including the ability to drop any image into the video frames and the style will be imitated throughout the game. Moreover, as the company is aware that sharing your gaming experience became a very frequent occurrence among games, it introduced State Share which allows players to share content among each other, from specific moments in the game to certain parts, all through a single link.

Google Stadia Founder’s Edition

Google revealed that there is going to be a Founder’s Edition available for purchase, more specifically $130. It includes the hardware starter kit including the Chromecast Ultra and Stadia Controller, as well as 3 months of premium service. Except for the fact that the Controller is going to be in a limited edition dark blue colorway, Founder’s Edition users get other perks such as the opportunity to choose a special username before others join the service, as well as game Destiny 2 for free as long as they keep the subscription after the initial 3 months. 

Google Stadia Release Date and Price

The official launch is set to be in November 2019, with the exact date coming soon. Several months after, the free tier of the subscription is going to be added for those who do not purchase the Founder’s Edition which is currently available for $129 at pre-sale. The monthly subscription is expected to be $10, and you can also purchase the controller individually for $70. Google Stadia is going to be available across 14 different territories, the first one being the US, UK, and Canada. 

Google Stadia Controller

During the conference in March, Google also announced it will be releasing a new gaming controller alongside its new gaming service. Stadia Controller is a Dual Shock controller featuring two twin sticks, D-pad, and several faces and shoulder buttons. Unlike other controllers that can be seen currently on the market, it also features a sharing button, Google Assistant button and also a Home button. The company has decided to overcome the lagging issues by connecting the controllers directly to the data center, making the gaming experience even smoother. Even though this specific controller is said not to be necessary for Stadia users, it will offer the best experience.

Google Stadia Games

• Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2
• DOOM Eternal
• DOOM 2016
• Rage 2
• The Elder Scrolls Online
• Wolfenstein: Youngblood
• Destiny 2: Shadowkeep
• Get Packed
• GRID
• Metro Exodus
• Thumper 
• Farming Simulator 19 Platinum Edition
• Baldur’s Gate 13
• Power Rangers: Battle for the Grid
• Football Manager
• Samurai Shodown
• Final Fantasy XV
• Tomb Raider Definitive Edition
• Rise of the Tomb Raider 
• Shadow of the Tomb Raider
• Avengers
• NBA 2K
• Borderlands 3
• Gylt
• Mortal Kombat 11
• Darksiders Genesis
• Assassin’s Creed Odyssey
• Just Dance 2020
• Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Breakpoint
• Tom Clancy’s The Division 2
• Trials Rising
• The Crew 2 
• Watch Dogs Legion
• CyberPunk 2077
• Kine
• Orcs Must Die! 3
• Windjammers 2
• Destroy All Humans!
• SuperHot
• Attack on Titan 2: Final Battle

Note: These are the games currently known to be a part of the new Google’s service, but more games are expected to be announced prior to the official release of Google Stadia.