Google reveals new game streaming service will be launched in November and will let users play without having to buy an expensive console
- Stadia will be release on November 19, at 9AM PST
- The service will have more than 30 games available during launch
- Controllers will cost $69 and a Founder’s Edition bundle will go for $129
Google announced that its new game streaming platform, Stadia, will be released on November 19.
People who pre-order the Stadia Founder’s Edition will be able to access the service at 9AM PST/5PM BST/6PM CET.
The Founder’s Edition costs $129 and includes a controller, the company’s streaming dongle, the Chromecast Ultra, a three-month Stadia Pro subscription, and a second three-month subscription that can be gifted to a friend.
Google Stadia will launch on November 19, letting users stream games over almost any device they wish.
Stadia isn’t a traditional games platform, but a streaming service that Google is promoting as part of its new emphasis on conservation and reducing waste.
‘What if you didn’t need to upgrade a bulky new game console every few years?’ Google’s vice president of hardware design, Ivy Ross, said.
With a Stadia account, users will be able to stream games on smartphones, tablets, laptops, or TVs via an app or through a Chrome browser.
The only other piece of hardware a person needs is the controller, which Google bills as the first cloud-based controller.
Google recommends users have an internet connection speed of at least 25 mbps to play games at 1080p at 60 frames per second.
The controller sends its inputs directly to Stadia’s servers over Wifi rather than sending them to a console or other intermediary.
The controller costs $69 and was designed for both small and large hands
‘We worked with thousands of people playing hours and hours of games to test our controller against all of its limits,’ Ross said.
‘It needs to feel right for as many people as possible.’
Google’s controller design (pictured above) shown alongside the company’s new Pixel 4 phones at a media event in New York.
Designer Jason Pi took inspiration from kitchen knife handles to refine the controller shell.
Some kitchen knives are designed around molded handles that make it so they can only be held in one way, while professional-grade knives tend toward cylindrical handles, allowing chefs to hold them comfortably from any angle.
Stadia will launch in 14 different territories and lists 38 current or soon-to-be-released games on its site, among them: Red Dead Redemption 2, Borderlands 3, Ghost Recon Breakpoint, Wolfenstein: Youngblood, Marvel’s Avengers, Watch Dogs Legion, and NBA 2K20.
Google recommends an internet speed of 25 Mbps to be playable at 1080p and will support resolutions up to 4K with high-speed connections.
| Features | Stadia Base | Stadia Pro | Stadia Founder’s Edition |
|---|---|---|---|
| Launch date | 2020 | November 2019 | Available for pre-order now |
| Cost | Free | $9.99/month | $139 |
| Streaming quality | Up to 1080p/60fps with stereo sound | Up to 4K/60fps/HDR with 5.1 stereo sound | Up to 4K/60fps/HDR with 5.1 stereo sound |
| Streaming devices | Chrome browser, laptop or PC, TV or on Pixel 3/3a phone | Chrome browser, laptop or PC, TV or on Pixel 3/3a phone | Chrome browser, laptop or PC, TV or on Pixel 3/3a phone |
| Perks | Buy and keep any game titles | Access to free games, discounts on purchased games, buy and keep any purchased games | Limited-edition Night Blue controller Chromecast Ultra, three-month Stadia subscription for you and a friend, first dibs on a Stadia screen-name, all the features of a Stadia Pro subscription |