Google announces Stadia, its streaming game platform, to upend the $140 billion video game industry

guest · Mar 9, 2020

Google Stadia review, three months later: Nothing ventured, nothing changed
March 9, 2020
https://www.androidcentral.com/google-stadia-review-3-months-later-and-nothing-has-changed

To get it out of the way, in the three months since its launch in November 2019, not much has changed at all. Despite Google's insistence that the company is still working on features like Crowd Play and State Share, none of these features have been added yet. Stadia is still woefully under baked, and unfortunately more time in the oven hasn't helped yet.

In our initial review, Russell Holly called Stadia "Embarrassingly incomplete, staggeringly good." This still rings true. Google hasn't quite unlocked its potential, which is a shame because what's there is actually a solid foundation.
It's software. It should be held to the same standards as such. And when it comes to software, Stadia just doesn't cut it when Google isn't giving it the right support it needs to flourish.

Like I mentioned before, many of those features are just non-existent right now. And its complete list of games is downright pitiful.
Stadia still has a long way to go before it lives up to its promise of gaming for everyone.
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guest · Mar 15, 2020

Google details what you need to play Stadia games in 4K on the web
Mac users need not apply
March 14, 2020
https://www.engadget.com/2020/03/14/google-stadia-4k-web-requirements/

It recently posted requirements, and the main demand is a Chromebook or Windows PC that can decode video in Google's preferred VP9 format, a 4K display to match and enough bandwidth to handle the "best visual quality" option. Stadia won't be too picky about the overall power of your computer, then.

However, you might notice what's not present: any mention of Mac support. Much like YouTube in Safari, Apple's resistance to VP9 over patent issues (it prefers royalty-free formats like AV1) makes official 4K support unlikely. Take heart, though. As 9to5Google observed, the unofficial Stadia+ extension for Chrome can force 4K on Macs if you're determined to play in full quality on your iMac.
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ronjor · Mar 24, 2020

Google makes it easier for studios to self-publish Stadia games

Mariella Moon, @mariella_moon 24 March 2020
Google has launched a new program called Stadia Makers that could lead to the release of more titles for the platform, particularly ones from experienced indie developers. The tech giant has announced the project during its virtual Games Developer Summit, calling it the first step into its self-publishing expansion.
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ronjor · Apr 8, 2020

Google Stadia now free to anyone with a Gmail address

By Michael McWhertor@MikeMcWhertor Apr 8, 2020
Stadia Pro is also free for two months
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guest · Apr 16, 2020

New Stadia update brings 5.1 surround sound to web gameplay
April 17, 2020
https://www.neowin.net/news/new-stadia-update-brings-51-surround-sound-to-web-gameplay

Google has pushed out a new update for its Stadia gaming platform today, bringing 5.1 surround sound when playing games on the web, an on-screen keyboard on web when you’ve got a gamepad connected to Stadia, and notifications for your connection quality while playing on mobile devices.

With regards to 5.1 surround sound’s arrival on the web, this Stadia Pro feature was previously available on TVs and select tablets and phones. With today’s update, those with suitable equipment playing in Chrome will also be able to benefit.
The feature is still only available for subscribers but Stadia Pro is free for users for two months to encourage players to stay at home during the coronavirus pandemic.

Google’s short post containing the new features didn’t expand any further on when to expect the next update nor what features the firm is currently working on.
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Google: Stadia Update - April 16, 2020

We’ve rolled out some new features on Stadia. Check out the patch notes below:

5.1 surround sound on web -- We’ve added support for 5.1 surround sound when playing games on web

On-screen keyboard -- You’ll now see an on-screen keyboard on web when you have a gamepad connected to Stadia

Mobile connection notifications -- You’ll see notifications for your connection quality while playing on mobile devices.

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guest · Apr 27, 2020

Big Google Stadia announcements are coming tomorrow
April 27, 2020
https://mspoweruser.com/big-google-stadia-announcements-are-coming-tomorrow/

On April 28th, Google will be holding a Stadia Connect digital event to showcase the next wave of games and features coming to the platform.

The Stadia Connect livestream will allow fans to “hear from the team and see a few new games coming to Stadia”. With Google being relatively quiet surrounding the service after launch, this is a nice change of pace.
The livestream will commence on Tuesday, April 28th at 9AM PT / 6PM CET/ 5PM BST.

With the service still only available to use on a limited selection of devices, Google brought in a customer base of over 225,000 potential players. While not a staggering number, it is larger than the service’s 150,000 install base during the service’s launch window.
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guest · Apr 28, 2020

Google Stadia gets PUBG, with Star Wars, Madden, and FIFA arriving later this year
PUBG is free for Stadia Pro subscribers
April 28, 2020
https://www.theverge.com/2020/4/28/...-games-fifa-star-wars-madden-nfl-release-date

Google is bringing PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds (PUBG) to Stadia today, and it’s promising to launch several EA games later this year. PUBG will be free for Stadia Pro members and will include the new Cold Front season pass. Stadia Free members will be able to purchase the base game for $29.99 or bundled with the season pass for $39.99.
PUBG on Stadia will also support cross-play, so you can play against friends on console.

Alongside the PUBG launch, Google is partnering with EA to bring Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, Madden NFL, and FIFA to Stadia later this year. There are no exact release dates for all three of the titles, beyond a promise that they’ll arrive in the fall.
Google is also planning to launch Crayta exclusively on Stadia this summer, free for Stadia Pro members.
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guest · May 2, 2020

Stadia To Support 4K On Android TV And Capture Sharing
...add chat capabilities
May 1, 2020
https://www.androidheadlines.com/2020/05/stadia-to-support-4k-on-android-tv-and-capture-sharing.html

Google has been putting in some major efforts in improving the experience on Stadia lately, and it looks like capture sharing could be one of the next features to arrive.

The latest version of the Stadia app contains strings of code that point to this particular feature being on the way. But the strings of code also reference other upcoming features.
One of those other features looks to be 4K support for Android TV devices. Currently Stadia doesn't support Android TV. But a recent past version of the app suggested that Google may be preparing to launch it.
Stadia Capture sharing will work via links
Think about the way you can share a link to photos you have stored in Google Photos. That seems to be the way Capture sharing will work with Stadia captures.
While you won't be sharing the image or video files with other users directly, they will be able to apparently see your captures by clicking the links you share with them. They won't even need to be Stadia members themselves.
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Stadia will finally support text chat
When it comes to communication in-game on Stadia, players are sort of limited. Stadia does have its own voice party chat system, and some games have their own in-game direct voice chat.
But having text chat within the Stadia ecosystem would make things much smoother. And it looks like it's finally on the way.
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guest · May 12, 2020

Google Stadia is a lonely place
Google’s virtual stadium doesn’t have crowds yet
May 12, 2020
https://www.theverge.com/2020/5/12/21252200/google-stadia-cross-play-games-lonely-venue

I Ireally like the idea of Stadia. Google’s cloud gaming service was unveiled just a year ago with the promise that the future of gaming isn’t a box under your TV but a place instead.
It’s supposed to be full of people discovering games from YouTube links or playing along with creators and streamers. Instead, it feels like Google is still in the process of building its stadium, and it’s empty.
[...]
It has gradually been getting better in some areas, but it took months for Google to deliver 4K streaming on the web, and I’ve only just been able to start using a controller wirelessly with Stadia last week.

I feel like I’m paying to be a beta tester for Google’s service. Stadia looked like a beta for the future of gaming before it even launched last year, and it’s lacking most of the promised social features that would really demonstrate the potential of cloud gaming and get more people using the service. Until Google delivers, I’ll mostly be enjoying Stadia alone.
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guest · May 27, 2020

Stadia picks up new 1440p streaming resolution option in Chrome
May 26, 2020
https://www.androidpolice.com/2020/...-1440p-streaming-resolution-option-in-chrome/

In addition to its weekly new games announcements for Stadia (already integrated into our massive list), Google also dropped a small surprise: Stadia customers that do their gaming in Chrome (i.e., from laptop or desktop) now have a new 1440p resolution option available.

The feature has already rolled out, filling the void between 1080p and 4K with a 1440p (2560x1440) option for those with high-enough resolution monitors. You'll still have to meet all the 4K streaming requirements to get it, and that includes a 35Mbps connection or better and VP9 hardware decoding support. You can test your connection speed for Stadia here.
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https://community.stadia.com/t5/Sta...ters-motorsports-and-Mortal-Kombat/ba-p/23244
More resolution options for Stadia players
We’ve rolled out a new resolution option on Chrome. Players using a display with a resolution between 1440p and 4K will be able to stream in up to 1440p instead of 1080p, so long as they meet all of the requirements to play in 4K.
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guest · Jun 3, 2020

Google’s “overpromising” led to Stadia “disappointment,” says RDR2 publisher
If you're paying $60 for a game, “are you really unwilling to buy a $300 console?”
June 1, 2020
https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2020...lishers-says-streaming-is-not-a-game-changer/

A year ago, Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick said he was "pretty optimistic" about Google's Stadia game-streaming service. The concept of "being able to play our games on any device whatsoever around the world, and to do it with low latency, well that’s very compelling if that can be delivered," he offered in May of 2019.

Now, though, Zelnick has changed his tune a bit. In an interview given during the Bernstein Annual Strategic Decisions Conference late last week, Zelnick acknowledges what has been apparent to industry watchers for a while: "The launch of Stadia has been slow," he said.

"I think there was some overpromising on what the technology could deliver and some consumer disappointment as a result."
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That said, Zelnick was pretty bearish on how much of an impact the streaming business model will really have on Take-Two's bottom-line sales.

"It's not a game changer," Zelnick said. "People who want our games now can get our games now. The fact that you could stream them and not have to have a console interface is really not that big of a deal."
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guest · Jun 13, 2020

After expanding support, Stadia for Android hits 1 million downloads on Google Play
June 13, 2020
https://9to5google.com/2020/06/13/google-stadia-android-million/

On Thursday, Google gave Android users the ability to play Stadia on any modern phone. Following that expanded support, the Stadia app now has over 1 million installs.

This milestone comes just two days after Google brought mobile Stadia gameplay to the vast majority of Android phones. At launch last year, support was limited to the Pixel 2, 3, 3a, and 4 family of devices. It later expanded to recent phones from Samsung, Asus, and Razer, as well as OnePlus.
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While the company will still maintain a list of optimized, supported phones, there is now the experimental capability to force play on any device: Settings > Experiments > “Play on this device.” Google does warn that this might affect game performance.
Stadia this week also added a virtual touch gamepad that lets users play without a connected controller.
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guest · Jun 17, 2020

Google cuts price of Stadia Premiere Edition to $100, now cheapest way to play Stadia
Google announced that the Stadia Premiere Edition is now $99 instead of $130
June 16, 2020
https://www.androidcentral.com/goog...iere-edition-100-now-cheapest-way-play-stadia

Google Stadia has been steadily moving along since it became widely available free to the public back in April. Just two months later, it's dropped the price of the Stadia Premiere Edition from $130 to $100.

Previously, users had to pay $130 for the Stadia Premiere Edition, which also used to come with a three-month subscription to Stadia Pro. Unfortunately, this is no longer a part of the bundle. However, users can get a one-month free trial of Pro if they sign up for the free version of Stadia. All they need is a Google account and they can sign up on the Google website.
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The announcement comes just a few days after Google made Stadia available on all Android phones. Previously it was only available on Pixel phones and select other devices. This recent change allows any Android phone that can download the Stadia app to use the service.
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guest · Jun 30, 2020

Google's Stadia Controller now works wirelessly with Android phones
No more USB cables
June 30, 2020
https://www.androidpolice.com/2020/...ler-now-works-wirelessly-with-android-phones/

When it began shipping last year, the Stadia Controller worked wirelessly on TVs hooked up to a Chromecast Ultra, but using it with any phone or laptop required it to be connected via USB-C cable, which doesn't make for the most comfortable gaming experience.
Earlier this year, Google rolled out the ability to connect wirelessly via the Chrome browser, and starting today, users can now do it with any supported Android device as well.

Once the ability goes live for you, you'll need to make sure your phone and Stadia Controller are on the same Wi-Fi network, then launch a game and follow the pairing instructions that appear on screen
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This Week on Stadia: Just Shapes & Beats, free games, and more

Stadia on your phone just got even better [...]
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guest · Jul 16, 2020

Google announces Stadia partnerships with Harmonix and Supermassive Games
July 15, 2020
https://www.thesixthaxis.com/2020/07/15/google-stadia-connect-harmonix-supermassivesekiro-hitman/

Yesterday, Google held a Stadia Connect event to showcase what games would be coming to the streaming platform in the near future. Among the announcements Google announced it had signed deals with both Harmonix and Supermassive Games to create exclusive content for the platform.
Harmonix is best known for games such as Rock Band while Supermassive Games has had success with Until Dawn as well as making The Dark Picture Anthology games Man of Medan and Little Hope.
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Google announces Harmonix, Uppercut, and Supermassive Stadia exclusives

Editor's take: Today Google buzzed that it has three new Stadia exclusive games coming but was elusive as to what these games might be. One of Stadia's biggest weaknesses is the lack of games that cannot be played anywhere else. Unique titles sell consoles, and it should be no different for a streaming service that is essentially competing with the PC market. So new titles only available on Stadia would be a good thing, as long as they aren't all timed exclusives.

The Stadia team did not reveal much about the upcoming exclusives other than to say that Harmonix, Uppercut, and Supermassive Games are working on them. [...]
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Google: Stadia Partners with Harmonix
Stadia Partners with Supermassive Games

guest · Jul 29, 2020

Google Stadia tests 4G and 5G game streaming
July 28, 2020
https://www.msn.com/en-us/entertain...ia-tests-4g-and-5g-game-streaming/ar-BB17hSz7

You can now play games on Google’s Stadia cloud gaming service on your Android phone over 4G and 5G connections, though you have to opt in to an “experiment,” Google announced today (via 9to5Google).

Since the service’s launch in November 2019, you’ve only been able to play Stadia games on your phone over Wi-Fi — that is, unless you tricked Stadia into playing over a cellular connection by tethering a laptop to a phone or hotspot, like my colleague Sean Hollister did as part of his review.
Sean found that when he played Stadia over a 90Mbps LTE connection for his review, “the experience ranged from totally playable to annoyingly stuttery.”
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guest · Oct 8, 2020

Google Stadia gains stable support for streaming over mobile data, at 720p only
October 7, 2020
https://www.gsmarena.com/google_sta..._over_mobile_data_at_720p_only-news-45673.php

The Stadia game streaming service can now work over a mobile network as the feature graduated from Experimental status to ready for action. You will find a toggle in the Performance settings but first you should be aware of a couple of caveats.

The resolution is capped at 720p, the main reason is data usage to the tune of 2.7 GB an hour. That can easily blow through many people’s monthly data caps, but is still much less than 1080p uses – 12.6 GB an hour.
This works over 4G and 5G, as long as you can get a stable connection. You will need to connect the Stadia controller to your phone either over Bluetooth or with a cable (normally, the controller uses its own Wi-Fi connection).
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In my previous APK teardown, I found the mobile network icon. It's now enabled under the play button when playing via mobile network pic.twitter.com/z2SmelokH1
— Gem Stadia (@GemStadia) October 6, 2020
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guest · Nov 8, 2020

Google Stadia may soon officially support Safari on iOS 14
November 7, 2020
https://9to5google.com/2020/11/07/stadia-official-safari-ios-14-support/

Since its launch nearly a year ago, Stadia has only officially been available on Android, Web, and Chromecast. It appears Stadia may soon pick up iPhone and iPad its first additional platforms, with new code pointing to official support for Safari on iOS 14.

Considering Stadia has an official Web app, it may seem surprising that iOS has not been supported that way. This was actually because when Stadia first launched, the version of Safari that was bundled with iOS 13 didn’t have the necessary Web features to run Stadia well.
With iOS 14, that changed, as alternative browsers (still based on WebKit like Safari) like Stadium have proven.
Click to expand...

Unfortunately, since we’re basing this on a handful of texts in a web app, it’s far too early to say when playing Stadia games on iOS could become official. Given the success of Stadium, it shouldn’t take too terribly much beyond Google flipping the switch to allow Safari, but Stadia’s features seem to roll out gradually and cautiously.
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9to5Google: ‘Stadium’ browser returns to the App Store, enabling Google Stadia on iPhone/iPad (November 6, 2020)

ronjor · Nov 21, 2020

Google Stadia survived a year, but its future depends on games like Cyberpunk 2077

By Nick Statt@nickstatt Nov 19, 2020
Google is going head-to-head against next-gen consoles during a fiercely competitive holiday season
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hawki · Dec 11, 2020

ronjor said: ↑

Google Stadia survived a year, but its future depends on games like Cyberpunk 2077
Click to expand...

"Cyberpunk 2077 Breaks Record for Most Concurrent Players on a Single-Player Title

According to Steam, over 1.05 million people were playing the game at the same time earlier today. The next best record for a pure single-player title belongs to Fallout 4, which achieved a peak of 472,962 concurrent players five years ago..."

https://uk.pcmag.com/games/130444/c...t-concurrent-players-on-a-single-player-title

guest · Dec 16, 2020

Google Stadia Cloud Gaming Platform Now Available on iPhone and iPad Through Safari
December 16, 2020
https://www.macrumors.com/2020/12/16/google-stadia-ios-launch/

Google's Stadia cloud gaming service is now available on iOS through a dedicated web app, which means that it is playable on the iPhone and the iPad for the first time. For those unfamiliar with Stadia, it is a gaming platform that lets you play your favorite video games on any device.

Google was not able to bring Stadia to iOS through a dedicated app because of Apple's restrictions on cloud gaming services, so Google had to find a workaround.
The new progressive web version of Google Stadia is able to be run through the Safari web browser, and it is available in a public beta capacity. Those who want to try it out can visit Stadia.com.
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hawki · Dec 19, 2020

ronjor said: ↑

Google Stadia survived a year, but its future depends on games like Cyberpunk 2077
Click to expand...

"Cyberpunk 2077 Was Supposed to Be the Biggest Video Game of the Year. What Happened?

Nearly a decade of hype led to a troubled release riddled with glitches, a livid fan base, refunds for potentially millions of players and a possible class-action lawsuit...

Since the release of Cyberpunk 2077 on Dec. 10, thousands of gamers have created viral videos featuring a multitude of glitches and bugs...These videos depict a game that is virtually unplayable: rife with errors, populated by characters running on barely functional artificial intelligence, and largely incompatible with the older gaming consoles meant to support it. Fans are livid...

So many gamers demanded refunds from distributors this week that they overwhelmed Sony’s customer service representatives and even briefly took down one of its corporate sites. In response, Sony and Microsoft said they would offer full refunds to anyone who purchased Cyberpunk 2077 through their online stores; Sony even pulled the title..."

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/19/style/cyberpunk-2077-video-game-disaster.html

guest · Dec 22, 2020

Stadia Pro free trial with no payment method goes live, but with one caveat
December 21, 2020
https://chromeunboxed.com/stadia-pro-free-trial-with-no-payment-method

We received hints a few months ago about Stadia possibly offering a Pro trial to newcomers without asking for their credit or debit card in order to get started. A user on the official Stadia Discord channel who goes by the name ‘Cloudproto’ came across the new promotion that shows that this is now rolling out.

On top of already getting a 30-day free trial, you can now start using Google’s cloud gaming service in just a few simple clicks – no payment method necessary. Well, at least not for the first thirty minutes – that’s the caveat.
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guest · Jan 1, 2021

What’s next on Google Stadia’s road map for 2021?
December 31, 2020
https://9to5google.com/2020/12/31/whats-next-on-google-stadias-road-map-for-2021/

Stadia, Google’s still-teething game streaming service, is now over a year old, but it still has many needs and significant room to grow. Here are some of the biggest areas that we see Stadia focusing on for their 2021 road map.
Missing features
Over the course of 2020, Stadia has steadily caught up with many of the expectations that Google laid out for it at launch. However, there are quite a few “obvious” things that are still tragically missing from Stadia.
The most egregious of these is the lack of any search functionality, both in the Stadia Store and within a player’s library. [...]
Playerbase
Another critical goal for Stadia’s road map in 2021 is to expand the playerbase.
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Game library
There’s no denying that Stadia is one of the most convenient ways of playing a particular game, just buy and play. Unfortunately, there’s almost no way to know in advance which game is going to be the next big thing.
Stadia-exclusive features
So far, all we’ve gotten are early previews of features like Crowd Play on YouTube and State Share that only work with one game.
And that’s a downright shame considering there’s such an infinite wealth of possibilities to be tapped into. [...]
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guest · Jan 12, 2021

Stadia is coming to LG smart TVs later this year
January 11, 2021
https://www.neowin.net/news/stadia-is-coming-to-lg-smart-tvs-later-this-year

LG has announced that its smart TVs are gaining access to Google's cloud gaming service later this year. Stadia, which has been publicly available since late 2019, will then be available straight from LG TVs, making it easier for users to start playing without connecting any other devices. LG introduced its lineup of premium TVs for 2021 earlier today, which will also support Stadia.

As LG notes, Stadia is currently over to over 130 games, including some major releases like Cyberpunk 2077. Being available directly on the TV means that, as long as you have a controller to play and a solid internet connection, you shouldn't have to worry about anything else. All the processing is done in the cloud, so the power of your TV isn't all that relevant.
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