Google Stadia is launching soon. What are the key details and considerations you need to have before making a purchase, and what do the initial tests say about Stadia?
Google Stadia will officially launch on November 19, 2019. We present eight things you should know before making a purchase.
1. How Google Stadia Works
Google Stadia is a streaming service by Google that officially launches on November 19, 2019. With Google Stadia, players can stream games on compatible smartphones, PCs, laptops, tablets, or TVs. This all happens on Google’s server architecture. No installation or download is required. Therefore, a fast internet connection is essential for making the most out of Stadia.
Important: It is a standalone platform, and currently, no crossplay is offered.
| Google Stadia | Cloud gaming service by Google |
| Price | 129 euros for the Premiere Edition 9.99 euros for the Stadia Pro subscription |
| Number of Games | 22 available at official launch |
| Release | November 19, 2019, at 6 PM |
| Shop | Google Stadia can only be ordered from the official Google Shop. |
2. What Subscription Models Are Available?
This is Stadia Pro: The Pro subscription costs 9.99 €. There will be a selection of free games in Stadia Pro, to which you will have full access as long as the subscription is active.
Games you have purchased can still be used in the free Stadia Base version – but only at a maximum resolution of 1080p and with stereo sound. For higher resolutions up to 4K, you need Stadia Pro – and also an internet connection with at least 35 Mbps.
Stadia Base from 2020: The free version Stadia Base is expected to be available only from 2020 onwards. Games that you purchased for Google Stadia can be played any time with Stadia Base. However, only a Full HD resolution is possible.
| Stadia Pro: | Stadia Base: | |
| Available from | Part of the Founder’s Edition | available from 2020 |
| Resolution | up to 4K | up to 1080p |
| Frame Rate | 60 FPS | 60 FPS |
| Sound | 5.1 Surround Sound | Stereo |
| Games can be purchased anytime | Yes | Yes |
| Free games are regularly released | Yes, starting with “Destiny 2: The Collection“ | No |
| Exclusive Stadia Pro offers | Yes | No |
3. How Good Does My Internet Need to Be?
If you want to buy and use Google Stadia, you should check beforehand whether your internet connection is fast enough:
- Minimum: For Google Stadia, a minimum of 10 Mbps is required. This allows for a resolution of 720p.
- Recommended: 20 Mbps is recommended. This enables playing at a resolution of 1080p and 60fps. Google even recommends a minimum bandwidth of 25 Mbps if you want to play smoothly in 1080p and 60fps.
- Maximum: For maximum performance and 4K resolution, you need a bandwidth of at least 30 Mbps.
Check My Internet Connection: If you are unsure about how fast your internet is and whether it is sufficient for Google Stadia, then check your connection using Google’s test.
4. Not Netflix for Gamers
In contrast to PlayStation Plus or Microsoft Game Pass, Google Stadia does not offer players a wide range of free games to play with the Stadia Pro subscription. It is not Netflix for gamers.
Instead, the Stadia Pro subscription currently offers two free titles: The Collection of Destiny 2 and Samurai Showdown.
You do not pay for a number of games, as with other subscription services, but for the hardware provided by Google. While you save on the high initial costs of a powerful gaming PC, Google wants its performance to be compensated as well.
5. How Many Games Are Available?
Google has recently expanded its lineup by 10 additional games. Google Stadia currently offers 22 games for purchase and play at launch. You can play Destiny 2 and Samurai Showdown for free and without purchase. The following games are available at launch (in alphabetical order):
- Assassin’s Creed: Odyssey
- Attack on Titan 2: Final Battle
- Destiny 2: The Collection
- Final Fantasy XV
- Football Manager 2020
- GRID
- Gylt
- Just Dance 2020
- Kine
- Farming Simulator 19
- Metro Exodus
- Mortal Kombat 11
- NBA 2K20
- RAGE 2
- Red Dead Redemption 2
- Rise of the Tomb Raider
- Samurai Shodown
- Shadow of the Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition
- Thumper
- Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition
- Trials Rising
- Wolfenstein: Youngblood
6. Which Controllers Are Compatible?
The Stadia Controller: Google has designed its own controller for Google Stadia, the Stadia controller. It looks simple and offers the basic functions of a gaming controller, with modern connections like USB-C and Wi-Fi. Many testers find the Stadia controller to be quite good. Whether the Stadia Controller is worth it is summarized in our article.
Can I Use My Old Controller? You do not necessarily need a Stadia controller for Google Stadia. Google has made it clear that users can also use their own controllers for PlayStation and Xbox with Google Stadia.
Currently, there is only one limitation: If you want to play wirelessly, then you will need both the Stadia Controller and a Chromecast Ultra when launching Google Stadia on November 19, 2019.
7. Stadia Still Feels Like a Beta
For tech enthusiasts and early adopters interested in new hardware and technology, it is definitely worth a look. However, it should be noted that many still perceive Google Stadia as a beta: Many features are still missing or promised but have not yet been delivered. As The Verge states:
“There’s no reason to buy Stadia right away. Google offers too little at launch and makes buyers pay three times (for hardware, for service, for games) just to be early adopters.”
Source: TheVerge.com
8. Initial Tests of Google Stadia – What Do the Reviews Say?
There are now initial tests of Google Stadia. Below we have summarized results for you (in alphabetical order):
„A Solid Foundation for the Future” – GamePro
The testers from GamePro view Google Stadia mostly positively. There are no general issues or latency problems, the biggest hurdle testers see is the insufficient amount of exclusive titles.
„Overall, we are very pleased with the launch of the new cloud gaming platform. We did not experience major issues with streaming quality or significant latency problems. The Stadia controller feels well-made and fits nicely in the hand. The selection of games is also quite respectable. However, we see the biggest problem due to the lack of exclusives in the target audience that Google is currently addressing with the launch of Stadia.”
Source: GamePro.de
„Stadia is (Still) Not a PC or Console Killer” – Golem
Golem had fun with the platform, but is still unsure whether Google can succeed in the end – even if the foundation is good, there are many elements that are missing. Like many other testers, occasional slight blurriness in the graphics is noticeable.
If you meet the hardware and internet requirements, you will find Stadia to be a practical platform for your gaming hobby. During testing, we quickly forgot that the games come to the monitor in a way that is somewhat different than usual. (…) The occasional slight blurriness is the clearest way we see the difference – but you have to look closely.
(…) Setting all that aside, there are approximately a thousand reasons for or against Stadia. The service is far from finished, and it is unclear how committed Google will remain and how competitive its game offerings will be in the long run, given the increasing number of exclusive titles from Sony, Microsoft, Nintendo, and other manufacturers.
Source: Golem.de
„Amazing Directness, but Far from Perfect” – GameStar
Google Stadia manages to impress GameStar. Games start quickly and run smoothly, yet the tester believes that cloud gaming will not be resilient against disturbances compared to PCs in the long term.
„However, if you just have to open the browser to start a 112 GB game like RDR2 within a very short time without waiting for the download, and can seamlessly switch from PC to smartphone or TV, then that is indeed an impressive experience. (…) And although some statements from Google or developers sound different, I do not believe that cloud gaming will ever truly reach the same level of reliability in terms of susceptibility to interruptions and directness of inputs as playing locally on my own PC.”
Source: Gamestar.de
Google Stadia: A Technical, Conceptual Disaster
Forbes gives a harsh verdict against Google Stadia. The tester struggled with lags, missed many features, and found the graphics to be very inconsistent. For him, it was a catastrophic start, leaving a lasting bad aftertaste.
I may have been skeptical from the beginning of this Stadia test, but I was ready to give it a chance. But from start to finish of my testing period, it was a catastrophe, and the problem is that even if it worked perfectly, which it absolutely does not, the entire model seemed destined to fail from the start. This is a massive failure by Google, and I truly wonder what the consequences of this poorly thought-out early launch will be.
Source: Forbes.com
„At Launch, It’s Just a Little Revolution” – Spiegel
For Spiegel Online, Google Stadia offers many good ideas but still feels like a beta product to the testers. Many features are missing or only announced, and the number of game titles is small, but Stadia reduces costs for high-end gaming.
„So far, the service is not a killer for Switch, Playstation, or Xbox, but particularly interesting for owners of 4K TVs without any gaming equipment. However, if the service becomes more open to more iOS and Android devices, gains new features, and sheds some controller restrictions, it could indeed serve as an alternative to gaming PCs or consoles – including announced blockbusters like “Cyberpunk 2077” and “Watch Dogs: Legion.”
Source: Spiegel.de
„In the First Test, Stadia Still Impresses – At Least Technically” – Welt
„But a major problem lies where many others have already failed: At launch, the catalog of supported game titles is relatively small, with only 22 games available. (…) Nevertheless, Google’s model has the potential to revolutionize the gaming market. With the Stadia subscription, the entry barrier for high-end games drops enormously. There is no need to buy consoles or keep gaming PCs up to date with the latest technology.”
Source: Welt.de
Conclusion: Testers evaluate Google Stadia mixedly. There are hardly any issues, and the technical foundation is quite decent, but unfortunately, it remains just a foundation: Some testers complain that Google Stadia feels more like a beta than a fully-fledged cloud gaming service.
What else do I need to know? If you still lack important information, check out our extensive overview on Stadia. Here you will find all important information about Google’s new streaming platform:
Have you purchased Stadia yet and are eagerly awaiting its launch? Or are you skeptical and prefer to wait?
