Google Stadia is a game streaming service that allows you to open up your browser, select the game you want and play, without a long download and install.
Here are six things you need to know about Stadia:
1. It Puts Gaming Within Everyone’s Budget
You pay a low monthly fee instead of paying for several thousand dollars’ worth of gaming hardware. It’s like Netflix for videogames. All you need is a stable and fast internet connection and a recent version of the Google Chrome browser.
2. Google Will Perfect Streaming Games
Other companies have offered similar services, but Google is in a position to learn from those services and truly make PC and console gaming more accessible.
3. Some Hardware Options Require Purchase
You purchase a Stadia controller, and If you want to play on your phone, tablet or PC, the controller must be connected via a USB-C cable.
If you want to play on your TV, you need to purchase a Google ChromeCast as well. The Stadia controller connects to your TV wirelessly over WiFi via ChromeCast.
4. There are a Couple of Tiers of Access to Games
You can decide what kind of investment you want to make. Those who want to have an experience that is like having a console can buy the Stadia Premiere Edition, which includes a Stadia controller, a Chromecast Ultra, and three months of the Stadia Pro subscription, and one additional game.
Stadia is still in the early access period, so this tier is what is currently available only, with more to be added in February, 2020.
At that time, there will be access to games that have no subscription fee, but users can buy games and stream them at 1080p and 60 frames per second.
The Pro level package has a fee, but the often get discounts on games as well as access to a roster of free games which is expected to grow over time on a regular basis.
At the Pro tier, you can play games at a higher streaming rate, in 4K HDR, with all the graphic settings as high as you want (on a compatible device) and this is possible because you’re not actually playing on your device, it is being run on a Google server. It streams just like a YouTube video, but a video that you have control over.
5. One Game Over Many Devices
You only have to purchase a game once and you can play it on whichever device you want, without having to cross-save. That is because there is just one save file in the cloud.
6. It’s Easier Than Ever to Play with Others
If your friends have Stadia, you can play together with ease because you don’t have to have the same systems, and you can be playing on different devices. You could be on your TV, while your friends are on their phone or laptops, and you’d be playing the exact same game.
Google Stadia has made gaming affordable and easy!
