Google Stadia is the platform with which Google wants to conquer the streaming of video games. During the Game Developers Conference 2019, the company announced this new service that will allow us to play from anywhere – thanks to the Google cloud. However despite the good feelings, also left us a lot of questions about its operation. Now, at the gates of E3 2019, they let us know how Google Stadia works, what its price is when it will be available and what games catalog it offers.
And that with the previous presentation Google achieved what seemed impossible, a presentation without games. An error that now corrects with the announcement of the 30 titles compatible with Google Stadia at its launch, among which we will find triple AAA games from developers such as Ubisoft or Square Enix.
These are all the details of the launch of Google Stadia, the platform of streaming games with which Google will seek to face Microsoft Project xCloud, Nvidia GeForce Now or Apple Arcade. A new way of playing that will mark the future of video games.
Google Stadia launch date and price
Google Stadia will be a subscription service. It will not require a console, but it does offer us a special command with a button to capture images and share the contents of the games. Google has decided to split its platform in two: on the one hand Stadia Pro, which will allow playing in 4K at 60Ffps and on the other Stadia Base, which will be released later, will have the resolution limited to 1080p but will be free for all compatible devices.
Google Stadia Pro will be available from November at a price of $9.99. A subscription cost equivalent to that of Xbox Game Pass and slightly lower than the $14.99 of PS Now. It is important to note that there will be exclusive games that must be paid additionally.
For the launch of Google Stadia, an edition of ‘Founder’s Edition’ is available, which is now available for booking for $129. This will include the special Stadia control in dark blue, a Chromecast Ultra, a 3-month subscription and the game ‘Destiny two’. The control of Stadia will be available for 69 euros in black, white and green.
As of 2020, Google will launch Stadia Base, a free subscription that will allow access to some Stadia Pro games with a maximum resolution of 1080p.
The official launch of Google Stadia will reach 14 initial countries, including Spain, the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Ireland, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Belgium, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, and Finland. Although starting in 2020, perhaps coinciding with the arrival of Stadia Base, the availability to more markets will be expanded.
Google Stadia uses Google services and infrastructure in the cloud to run streaming games. A cloud in which they have invested billions of euros exclusively for Google Stadia. We talk about the power of 10.7 teraflops, more than Playstation 4 and Xbox One X together. The user is sending the game through a mobile phone, a laptop or other compatible device and it will be Stadia who will be responsible for processing the game.
Initially, Google Stadia Pro will need a Chromecast Ultra to work. We will also have limitations on the devices to which the game can be sent, with only the TV and the latest Pixel 3 and 3a phones available. As Google explains, at the time of its release only Stadia users with Pixel 3 and 3a devices will be able to play with Stadia. However, you can create an account and buy subscriptions and games from any device with Android M or iOS 11 or higher that has the Stadia application installed.
The intention of Google is to extend this compatibility with Stadia Base, which will work in the future with any device that has Chrome.
During an initial phase, Stadia will be compatible with Chromecast and compatible TVs with Google Cast. The maximum resolution of the games will be 4K HDR at 60fps, although in the future besides extending the compatibility of devices, they also promise that they will be able to offer rates of more than 120fps and even 8K resolution. Because all the management is done from their servers and these can improve over the years.
Catalog of games available for Google Stadia
Google presents Stadia Pro with an initial catalog of 30 games, including some well-known titles from Ubisoft, id Software, 2K Games and Square Enix. But it will also come with exclusive games, created by the own label Stadia Games and Entertainment and where soon they will reveal more titles.
These are the announced games that will be compatible with Google Stadia:
- ‘ Destiny 2 ‘ (available with the “Founder Edition”)
- ‘ Baldur’s Gate 3 ‘
- ‘ Gylt ‘
- ‘ Get Packed ‘
- ‘ Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Breakpoint ‘
- ‘Division 2 ‘
- ‘ Assassin’s Creed Odyssey ‘
- ‘ DOOM ‘
- ‘ NBA 2K19 ‘
- ‘ Tomb Raider ‘
- ‘ Rise of the Tomb Raider ‘
- ‘ Shadow of the Tomb Raider ‘
- ‘ Darksiders Genesis ‘
- ‘ Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2 ‘
- ‘ Wolfenstein: Youngblood ‘
- ‘ Power Rangers: Battle For The Grid ‘
- ‘ Metro Exodus ‘
- ‘ Thumper ‘
- ‘ GRID ‘
- ‘ SAMURAI SHODOWN ‘
- ‘ Football Manager 2020 ‘
- ‘ The Elder Scrolls Online ‘
- ‘ The Crew 2 ‘
- ‘ Trials Rising ‘
- ‘ Borderlands 3 ‘
- ‘ Farming Simulator 19 ‘
- ‘ Mortal Kombat 11 ‘
- ‘ Rage 2 ‘
- ‘ FINAL FANTASY XV ‘
- ‘ Just Dance 2020
How the connection will work
Google Stadia will require a minimum connection of 10 Mbps downlink and 1 Mbps uplink, although to play in FullHD at 60 frames per second it will require a minimum speed of 25 Mbps. That will rise to 35 Mbps in case you want to play in 4K at 60fps and with 5.1 surround sound.
One of the doubts that may arise is if the progress of the game will be lost in case the internet is interrupted. In that case, Stadia will keep the game for several minutes at the same point where the interruption occurred so you can quickly reconnect.
One of the questions about Stadia is the issue of latency and how the game will be displayed. This is where the true DNA of Google comes in and is that it will use machine learning to alter the visual aspect of video game
In addition to being able to play streaming, Stadia will add ‘ cross-play ‘, where a PC player can play with another who is using the mobile. Also the functions of ‘ State Share ‘ to share the saved game of a game with another person and ‘ Crowd Play ‘, where it will be easy to share the game with anyone who is watching the streaming so that it can be added.
And in these capacities is the full potential of Google Stadia, as we are not only facing the Google video game platform, but also one of the most ambitious projects for us to delve even deeper into its powerful ecosystem.
