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Interest in the cloud gaming space is heating up. As big brands like Xbox, NVIDIA and Amazon vie for their place in the market, pioneer Google Stadia has been steadily evolving since its launch in late 2019. Here are just a few of the reasons why you might want to choose Stadia over the competition.
Console-like experience
While major cloud gaming services like GeForce NOW and Shadow offer an experience that will resonate best with PC gamers, Stadia feels more like it was built for console gamers. Instead of signing in to Steam, the Epic Games Store, and Ubisoft Connect, you just need a Google account to access all your games. The user interface, including the game library, can be scrolled with a game controller; no mouse or keyboard needed, unless you prefer them.
Stadia has full achievement support, a place to view screenshots and videos, and a play store that can be accessed through the mobile app or in a Chrome browser. There’s even a full-featured friend center that lets you send friend requests, start a party, voice chat, and exchange text messages. All in all, the Stadia experience will feel very familiar to PlayStation and Xbox gamers.
Keep what you claim in Stadia Pro
Subscription models have proven successful in the cloud gaming space, driving the core ethos of Xbox Cloud Gaming and Amazon Luna. However, Google Stadia is currently the only cloud gaming platform that allows players to purchase games from a digital store and subscribe to “claim” new titles added monthly with Stadia Pro.
The great thing about the Stadia subscription service is that claimable Stadia Pro games will never leave your library once they’re added. As long as you’re subscribed, you can play them forever, at your own pace, without worrying about them being unceremoniously deleted. Even if you switch to the free tier of Stadia and go back to Pro a few months (or years) later, those same claimed games will instantly appear in your library, along with all your save data.
While new Stadia Pro subscribers can sign up and claim over 50 games today, including Ultimate Control Edition, escorts, Saints Row: The Third – RemasteredY Saints Row IV: Re-elected – Players who have subscribed from the start have unbridled access to hundreds of Pro titles with more being released every month. In other words, the longer you’re a subscriber, the more games you’ll have in your library.
Stadia Exclusive Features
When Stadia was first announced in 2019, it wasn’t meant to be just a cloud console. It introduced a range of exclusive features that most competing cloud gaming platforms have been unable to replicate years later.
The most significant of these features is Click to Play. Stadia lets you click a simple hyperlink and jump right into a full-featured game, with no downloads, registration, or credit card information required. It’s a magical feature that seems like it shouldn’t be possible, but you can jump right in Destiny 2, PUBG: BATTLE GROUNDSeither HITMAN – Starter Pack right now. You don’t even need to pair a Bluetooth controller with your device, but I’d recommend it if you have one nearby.
Another great feature exclusive to Stadia is Live Stream. While most game streamers have to use a third-party screencasting tool like OBS to capture and stream gameplay footage to Twitch and YouTube, Stadia comes with this trick built in. Once you’ve linked your YouTube account, you can stream gameplay live directly from a Stadia server to your YouTube channel. The only downside is that Live Stream to Youtube doesn’t support webcams, but it does allow you to connect a microphone for full commentary.
Though it’s only found in a small subset of games, there are some other great Stadia-exclusive features you can find in its library:
- Crowd Choice allows Live Stream viewers to choose specific challenges that you will face in your game.
- Crowd Play allows streamers to invite viewers to play a live game alongside them.
- State Share allows players to share a screenshot of their gameplay with others and then allow those players to dive into the exact same place in the game to experience it for themselves.
- Stream Connect is a cooperative feature that gives teammates a live view of each other’s screens so they can better coordinate attacks against enemies.
The Stadia Community
No gaming brand is worth anything without its players, and for a platform as young and disruptive as Stadia, this group is particularly vital.
Although the Stadia community is relatively small compared to those found on PlayStation or Xbox, its size doesn’t hurt them. Like a small town where everyone knows your name, Twitter hashtags like #TeamStadia Y # Stadium100as well as the official r/Stadia subreddit, are filled with a family of gamers who like to share experiences, exchange ideas, advocate for new games, and help each other get the most out of the Stadia platform.
In short, these players are the heartbeat that keeps Stadia going, even when their longevity is repeatedly called into question.
A ubiquitous game console
Some Stadia players like to say their Gmail account it is your console, and while this isn’t exactly accurate, it’s not too far from the truth.
A simple Google account provides the gateway to getting Stadia up and running. With an estimated 1.5 billion people signed up for Google services, many of them could use it to access cloud gaming, as long as they live in a supported region. Just activate Stadia on your account and you’re good to go.
As for which device constitutes your “console”, it’s probably the one you’re using to read this article. Stadia works on phones, tablets, computers, TVs, and even some smart refrigerators and Teslas. Pretty much anything with a Chrome browser can be turned into a Stadia gaming machine. Technically, you don’t even need to connect a controller or mouse and keyboard as all games support touch controls on applicable devices, but these enhance the experience.
Get started with Stadia today
Google made it as easy as possible to get started on Stadia. In fact, you don’t even need a Google account to access over 120 free trials and demos. Simply visit the official Stadia website, find a game that sounds good to you, click on it, and dive in.
When you’re ready to dig a little deeper, use your Google account to activate the free tier of Stadia. You only pay for the games you want to buy and play when you choose this option. Unlike many of the free tiers you’ll find on competing cloud gaming services, there are also no waiting times or time limits. You can play as long as you want, free of charge.
Then, if you want to get even more out of your Stadia experience, subscribe to Stadia Pro for $9.99 per month. Not only do you get the first month free, this tier lets you claim and keep 3-6 new Pro games each month, stream up to 4K, and listen in 5.1 surround sound. Professional players also have access to regular game sales and free game weekends where non-purchased games can be enjoyed at no additional cost.
That’s it: everything you need to know about Google Stadia. Some players love it. Others are skeptical about it. The only way to know where you stand is to try it out for yourself. Just head over to the Stadia website and start a free demo now.
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