The future is increasingly streaming, and Google is going all-in with Stadia, their all-streaming home console, launching today with a $129.99 Premiere Edition.
The Stadia Premiere Edition includes one controller, one Google Chromecast Ultra, and three months of Stadia Pro. Stadia Pro is normally a $9.99 monthly subscription that allows up to 4K resolution and 5.1 surround sound, as well as offering game discounts and occasional free games, beginning with Destiny 2: The Collection.
Note for 4K streaming you will need a 4K capable TV.
A non-subscription version, called Stadia Base, will be launching next year. Stadia Base will only support up to 1080p and stereo sound. Both versions will support up to 60 frames per second.
As a streaming console, Stadia allows you to play games that rely entirely on your internet connection, rather than hardware. The main issue, is that your internet speed needs to be rock-solid in order to equal the experience by a regular console. According to Google’s graph, You’ll need a minimum speed of 10 Mpbs for 720p, 20 Mbps for 1080p, and ideally closer to 30-35 Mbps for Ultra 4K streaming.
At launch, the following games will launch with full-price Stadia versions:
- Assassin’s Creed Odyssey
- Attack on Titan 2: Final Battle
- Destiny 2: The Collection
- Farming Simulator 19
- Final Fantasy XV
- Football Manager 2020
- Grid
- Gylt
- Just Dance 2020
- Kine
- Metro Exodus
- Mortal Kombat 11
- NBA 2K20
- Rage 2
- Red Dead Redemption 2
- Samurai Showdown
- Thumper
- Tomb Raider Definitive Edition
- Rise of the Tomb Raider: 20 Year Celebration
- Shadow of the Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition
- Trials Rising
- Wolfenstein Young Blood
More games coming to Stadia include Borderlands 3, Darksiders Genesis, Doom, and Cyberpunk 2077.
