Google released its new game streaming service at the Game Developers Conference in San Francisco. Dubbed as Stadia, the new game streaming service aims to allow users to stream AAA titles directly from Google’s servers without requiring any special hardware. That means if it works as it is advertised you will no longer be required to buy an expensive console. Other companies like Sony and Nvidia have launched their respective game streaming service in the past, however, none of them have been successful. Google Stadia is the first game streaming service which seems to show some real potential. In this article, we are going to take a look at Google Stadia and tell you everything that you need to know about this new game streaming service.
What is Google Stadia?
As mentioned above, Google Stadia is a new game streaming service from Google which once implemented will allow Google to directly stream games to players. That means, as a gamer you won’t need to buy expensive hardware to play AAA titles. Another good thing about Google Stadia is that it doesn’t require you to download games. This is a huge improvement that Google is offering other Gaming services. Once you like a game all you need to do is hit the play button and it will launch.
As I said, Google Stadia doesn’t require you to buy any additional hardware component. You can play it on any existing Pixel smartphone or Chromecast Ultra device. If you don’t own a Pixel or Chromecast Ultra, you can stream games directly to your system using the Google Chrome Browser. The only thing you require is a high-speed internet connection. As of now, Google Stadia will only work over WiFi connections with speeds above 25 Mbps. Google has said that it will make Stadia compatible with 5G cellular networks in the future.
In its keynote presentation at GDC, one of the main points that Google made was about continuity. According to Google, there are more than 2 billion people around the world who either play games or like to watch recorded gameplay. However, game developers still find it hard to reach audiences due to either lack of discoverability or the hurdles that they have to cross to play the game.
Google wants to solve this problem by allowing users to not only discover games but also access them instantly without facing any hurdles. Let’s say, you watch the trailer of a new game that you like and want to play. As of today, you will have to see if that game is available on your console or not then you have to buy it from the store and then wait for hours to download and install before you can play.
Do You Require the Special Stadia Controller?
As you might know, with its online streaming project, Google is also launching its own Google Stadia controller. Many people might assume that you will need to buy the controller to stream game but that is now so. Google Stadia will allow you to play games using your own controllers and keyboard and mouse. You don’t need to buy a Google Stadia controller to stream game.
What is the Game Streaming Quality?
Google Stadia is promising a level of quality that you can only get with the most powerful laptops that you can find on the market. Depending on your network speed, you will be able to stream games either at 1080p 60 fps or 4K HDR 60 fps quality. A game streaming service which will allow you to stream games at 60 fps in 4K HDR is unbelievable. So, if you were worried that you will have to stream games at lower quality just to make it playable, Google Stadia should blow you away.
Google Stadia will also improve multiplayer games. Whether you want to play a sports game like FIFA 19 or a battle royale game like Apex Legends. Stadia will allow users to engage in a multiplayer environment by allowing low latency play. Since both the game client and the multiplayer server will be hosted on the same Google Data Center, there will be no latency even when hundreds of people join the game. Google will also enable cross-platform compatibility and there will be no cheating or hacking of the games.
Google Stadia: Crowd Play
The final big feature that is coming with Google Stadia is called “Crowd Play” and it is aimed at YouTube game streamers. If you are a YouTube game streamer and want to engage with your community one of the best ways to do that is allowing your audience to play with you. On the other side of the spectrum, if you love watching game streams, wouldn’t it be great if you could play with your favorite creators?
As of now, Google Stadia is launching with two big titles. The first is the “Assassin’s Creed Odyssey” and the second is the “Doom Eternal” which is the latest game in the critically acclaimed Doom franchise. While this might seem like a small list at the start, if Google Stadia can deliver its promises on these top AAA titles which require the best and latest hardware to run, it won’t be long when other game franchises start offering their games too. Google is confident that more games will be released alongside Google Stadia when it’s made available to the public.
Google Stadia: Pricing and Availability
The only thing that is not clear about Google Stadia is its pricing and availability. Google is saying that the service will be available sometime in 2019. There is no exact date and no pricing details available. At launch, the service will be available in the USA, Canada, UK, and most other European countries. I can understand that it’s a revolutionary technology and it will take time to get it right. I just hope that whenever it launches, it is at least half as good as what they have claimed in the keynote.
