Stadia - Google's game streaming service

Photek wrote:Stadia isn’t running a gamepass service

It literally is, though. That's what the subscription is.

Stadia Pro gets you up to 4K resolution and access to a growing library of games (including Destiny 2).

And from the article, it sounds like all Stadia exclusives will be free for subscribers:

Google has yet to confirm which games will be made available for free as part of the library of titles, except to say Destiny 2 will be a part of it at launch. This library of titles will grow over time, fuelled by Google's investment in the setting up of first-party studios charged with building Stadia exclusives, and from exclusives from external developers, such as Tequila Works' Gylt.

Sounds very much like the Pro service is going to be heavily populated by Google 1st party games and very little else.

This has gone from "probably pick this up" to "no thanks" for me.

I don't understand who this caters to?

Hardcore gamers are going to want a Console/PC that will play the latest games and at the best resolutions. Casual gamers aren't going to fork out €60 for new games plus you have to buy a controller and then there's the whole internet gubbins.

I mean, Digital is one thing but for a game you pay full whack for to end up entirely in the cloud is ridiculous. I reckon Sony/MS will whipe the floor due to player numbers, brand, the fact you'll be able to stream a ton of games that you already own plus FAR more exclusives coming down the line. Plus Gamepass gives you option to download game fully.

Phil Harrison overseen the launch of PS3 and Xbox One...and look what happened.

I kinda feel that streaming games should be cheaper - no physical product, economies of scale etc - but, of course, publishers are never going to take that approach. I am interested in the streaming option but I recoil from the idea that platform owners / publishers will have all the power to stop / remove games as they see fit. That game you licensed for £70 last year? Well, we don't run it any more so please buy something newer.

The only thing this launch has shown me is that I need to wait for the free version.
The only game I'm interested in on this service is Baldur's Gate 3 and |I'll be playing it on my chromebook so 1080p 60 is completely fine.

If I can buy the game and use the free service I'll be fine with that but that's going to be the full extent of my usage and it won't stop me buying the next gen consoles.

I don't understand what Jiggles is pre ordering? How do you pre order a streaming service?

Dual wrote:I don't understand what Jiggles is pre ordering? How do you pre order a streaming service?

The pre-order is to get the "founders edition" controller and a chromecast which is one of the device that Stadia will support. As well as I think a 3 month subscription to the "Pro" service.

The free service will launch next year but you will still need to either buy or already own some supported device in order to access the Stadia service - and then either buy individual games or sign up to the monthly subscription to access the games that will provide, but details on what those are, how frequently they are added, whether it is a persistent list of games etc. is all still unclear.

Dual wrote:I don't understand what Jiggles is pre ordering? How do you pre order a streaming service?

Stadia is launching in an "early adopter" scheme where you pay around £120 for a controller, streaming dongle and three months of "Pro" access (which grants you access to Destiny 2 and some other TBC games).

So they basically charge you £120 to do their beta testing for them?

People used to get paid to beta test, now you pay the corporation to fix their gooseberry fool for them.

Sandy wrote:So they basically charge you £120 to do their beta testing for them?

People used to get paid to beta test, now you pay the corporation to fix their gooseberry fool for them.

Well you get a controller (say £45 value?) a Chromecast (£30, though I think this might be the Ultra one which is maybe £50 or £60?) and 3 months access to the Stadia Pro service (~£27 value) so it's not that bad a deal.

Or you can wait and jump on board with the free version.

Then using Destiny as an incentive is extra weird as it's going free to play soon.

Do you have to use their controller?

You also get 3 months pro for a friend and I know Destiny is going FTP, but that's the base game, Destiny 2 on Stadia is everything.

Dual wrote:Do you have to use their controller?

Initially - to use the Pro founder package - yes. But when the "free" package rolls out, you will be able to use a variety of controllers.

I hate to go all Wii U, but is this not a console then?

I assumed it was a console in a Chromecast.

jawafour wrote:
Dual wrote:Do you have to use their controller?

Initially - to use the Pro founder package - yes. But when the "free" package rolls out, you will be able to use a variety of controllers.

OK. Sounds like the basic package is more for me. Will see how it is received because I am interested in this as a concept going forward. Not having to buy a console ever again is right up my street.

All streamed, you don't need anything to get to play games via stadia bar the internet and a browser.

A game may also help.

Ad7 wrote:...is this not a console then?

I assumed it was a console in a Chromecast.

The Chromecast is only required for the early adopter package; once the full system rolls out next year, you will be able to access Stadia through almost any internet-capable screen device.

As for the Wii U reference... "Is Stadia an add-on for PCs?" etc

.

Ah ok, so you could theoretically run the free service through a switch.

For some reason the controller and price tag had me assuming it was a dedicated machine for it.

Ad7 wrote:Ah ok, so you could theoretically run the free service through a switch.

For some reason the controller and price tag had me assuming it was a dedicated machine for it.

Yeah pretty much anything should be able to play it in theory - although the other consoles are highly unlikely to officially support it obviously. But your TV, phone, PC etc. should all be fair game.

The Dedicated hardware will probably have an edge in performance. The controller is designed to send input directly to Stadia to reduce lag. If you use a third party controller and play on a web browser or something like that then you have additional latency: PS4 controller -> Device -> Stadia

Stadia - Google's game streaming service

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