Google unveils Stadia, the ultimate streaming game service
Stadia is the name Google has given to its new streaming game service which will allow subscribers to stream and play video games on their computers, TVs and smartphones. The service will rely on the Chrome Browser, Google’s Chromecast and its Pixel devices to enable 4k streams at 60pfs to subscribers in the US, Canada, the UK and Europe starting later in 2019.
Google’s Stadia is an evolution of Google’s Project Stream which ran as a public beta a few months back, allowing users to play Assassin’s Creed Odyssey on their computers through the Chrome browser. While gameplay shouldn’t be any different from what you’d experience on a dedicated gaming console, Google plans to make Stadia gaming significantly more interactive, allowing players to join in on a game that they are simply watching via YouTube or Steam, purchase a game after watching a trailer for it and start playing within seconds and even finding related walkthrough videos with a simple press of a button when you inevitably get stuck on a level or can’t find that hidden treasure.
Google is releasing a Stadia Controller for the service which connects to the web via WiFi to help reduce latency while gaming. The Stadia Controller will also allow users to seamlessly transfer their gaming session from a tablet, smartphone or computer to a TV or vice-versa, allowing you the freedom you need without having to stop your gaming session.
One of the first games on the books for Stadia is the upcoming Doom Eternal, but Stadia is planning to have many third-party titles and a handful of original games developed by its new Stadia Games and Entertainment gaming studio.
The details that are still missing include pricing and the official launch date. Google has promised to share more on both of those topics later this summer.