Stadia chief dashed our hopes for cheaper games
When Stadia was introduced, many were hoping that Google’s new gaming system would deliver a Netflix-like subscription service which would make gaming a lot cheaper for the masses. Google does plan to offer a monthly subscription service which will give users access to a catalog of older titles, but new games will still need to be purchased.
Stadia executive Philip Harrison revealed to Eurogamer that we shouldn’t expect games on Stadia to be any cheaper than what you’d expect to pay on other consoles. When asked if Stadia games would be cheaper than traditional gaming systems, Harrison states “I don’t know why it would be cheaper,” insisting that the value-add offered by Stadia is that it allows users to game practically anywhere. “The value you get from the game on Stadia means you can play it on any screen in your life — TV, PC, laptop, tablet, phone. I think that is going to be valuable to players.”
While game developers have the option to set their own prices on other systems, the $59.99 price tag for new titles has been quite popular for some time when purchasing games from retail stores. Digital downloads can often be a bit cheaper, but not by much since Microsoft and Sony still take their cut for allowing the game to be downloaded through their exclusive stores. Presumably, Stadia will also be taking a cut when you purchase a game through its store.