When Google announced Stadia, it got the industry talking about its future.
From the introduction of cloud to questions surrounding game ownership, big questions are being asked by developers and publishers about the sustainability of current business models and how they should adapt to an increasingly competitive market.
If you’re unfamiliar with this console, Stadia is Google's new upcoming cloud gaming service. It will run on Google data centres around the world with video footage streamed to a TV. No discs, no cartridges, no downloads and no physical console. It requires an internet download speed of 35Mbps and an upload of 1Mbps. It does recommend a 10Mbps to stream games in a lower resolution.
Release Date
The Google Stadia, originally announced in March, will release in November 2019 for those who purchased the Founders Edition. This will come with a limited edition start pack for early adopters. Studios such as EA and Bethesda will provide games from launch.
Price
The Google Stadia starter pack will cost £119 or $129 in the US. This will include a dark blue Stadia controller, a Chromecast Ultra TV stick and a three-month subscription to Stadia Pro.
The subscription allows you to stream the games in 4k, however if you choose not to subscribe you will be limited to streaming only in high definition.
Not all games included in the subscription streaming library will be available to play and will need to be bought separately.
From 2020, the company will offer controllers separately for £59 and the Stadia pro subscription for £8.99 a month.
Available Games
There are a reported over 30 games that will be ready for launch. Titles from Bethesda, EA Games, Rockstar, Sega, Square Enix, Warner Bros and Ubisoft will be available.
Here are some of the listed titles:
- Assassin’s Creed Odyssey
- Baldur’s Gate 3
- Borderlands 3
- Cyberpunk 2077
- Darksiders Genesis
- Destiny 2: The Collection
- Destroy All Humans!
- Doom
- Doom Eternal
- Farming Simulator 19
- Final Fantasy XV
- Football Manager 2020
- Get Packed
- Ghost Recon Breakpoint
- Gods & Monsters
- GRID
- GYLT
- Just Dance 2020
- Kine
- Marvel’s Avengers
- Metro Exodus
- Mortal Kombat 11
- NBA 2K20
- Orcs Must Die! 3
- Rage 2
- Red Dead Redemption 2
- Rise of the Tomb Raider
- Shadow of the Tomb Raider
- SUPERHOT
- The Crew 2
- Elder Scrolls Online
- Thumper
- Tom Clancy’s The Division 2
- Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition
- Trials Rising
- Watch Dogs Legion
- Windjammers 2
- Wolfenstein: Youngblood
There have been plenty of concerns from consumers regarding the latency, Google vice-president Phil Harrison came out to with assurances saying that tests have been successful and there will be nothing to fear. That being said, most of the examples we've seen have been in controlled environments in areas with strong bandwidth, the real opinions will come from those outside of the cities where infrastructure is generally weaker.
It's an exciting time to be a gamer and have so many options in the gaming console market. What do you think of the Google Stadia? Let us know on Twitter!
Written ByChris Trout@TheTrout91