In March, Google announced that they would be diving into the gaming industry head first with an innovative platform that could change how we play video games. By connecting over the internet, they claimed they could provide users with some of the latest games at 4K HDR video at 60 frames per second on any Google device, from Chromecast to Pixel, removing the need for a dedicated gaming console or PC. However, they were pretty vague about the specifics. Launch dates, prices, and titles were conveniently left out of the big announcement, leading many to wonder if this is all just some cruel dream. Well today, we finally got our answer in a special announcement that even Google admitted “couldn’t wait for E3.”
Google Stadia Pricing
The most notable news from the brief live-streamed announcement were the pricing options for Google Stadia. They announced that there would be two options. The first is Stadia Base, which is free and allows you to purchase games on the platform for the standard price. The paid option, Stadia Pro, comes in at only $9.99 per month and offers a wide range of free games, as well as discounted prices for other games. This comes as a disappointment to Stadia followers, as many believed Google would be launching a “Netflix for video games” platform, whereas this model merely replicates services like Xbox Gold and Playstation Plus. Still, the price tag is competitive in the industry, and there are plenty of games, exclusive and otherwise, to entice gamers to drop the console.
Google Stadia Games
Actual games were noticeably absent from Google’s initial announcement, outside of a few popular titles like Assassin’s Creed and Doom. However, Google has officially announced 31 games that will be available on Stadia at launch. Those games include: And that’s not all! With E3 around the corner and plenty of time before launch, Stadia could very well add on a number of newer titles as time goes on. EA and Capcom have both insisted they will announced more Stadia games later this year.
Google Stadia Release Date
Tragically, the announcement did not mention a specific release date outside of “later this year.” Fortunately, we did get a taste of when this innovative gaming platform might go live thanks to a leak article that labels sometime in November for the expected launch date.
However, there was a little bit of information during Google’s announcement that might imply you’ll have to wait even longer to get your hands on these internet-fueled games.
Google Stadia Founders Edition
Google also announced the Stadia Founders Edition bundle, which provides users with a limited edition controller, a Chromecast Ultra device (which you’ll need to play Stadia on your TV), the popular game title Destiny 2 (along with lots of added features), and most importantly, early access to Google Stadia. Not to read too much into that “early access” line, but it’s safe to assume that means not everyone will have access to the platform in November. In fact, it looks like everyday users won’t have access to Stadia until 2020, although we’re still waiting on an official release date from Google. Fingers crossed for more information at E3, stay tuned!
