What is Google Stadia, how much does it cost and what do you need?

(Pocket-lint) - Google's unreality gaming level is disposable crossed 22 countries, including the UK and US, successful its paid and escaped forms.

Called Stadia, it is the company's "Netflix of games" - of sorts - with games hosted connected distant servers and video streamed to connected devices, including smartphones, tablets, computers and TVs.

But what does Stadia offer? And however does it disagree from different unreality gaming services?

How Google Stadia works

Google Stadia is simply a unreality gaming service whereby games tin beryllium purchased and played, but don't person to beryllium downloaded to a console oregon PC.

That's because, done aggregate connected devices, including phones, laptops and TVs, you play the crippled successful existent time, but it's really tally connected a distant Stadia server determination other successful the world. The video of the gameplay is transmitted to your instrumentality implicit the internet, portion the power codes from a crippled controller are sent successful the different direction.

The biggest hurdle different akin services person encountered implicit the years is latency - the clip it takes from the infinitesimal you determination the controller thumbstick oregon property a fastener to the enactment occurring connected screen.

But, wherever Stadia differs from immoderate different platforms, specified arsenic Nvidia GeForce Now and PlayStation Now, is that its servers are placed successful a immense fig of locations astir the globe. That shortens the region betwixt subordinate and a server to watercourse from.

In addition, Google has developed a dedicated Stadia controller that connects to the net straight via Wi-Fi, alternatively than your instrumentality (when you are playing astatine home, astatine least). That means it sends controller codes without having to taxable them to your phone, tablet oregon different connected instrumentality first. That cuts down connected milliseconds of latency and, successful gaming, that truly matters.

Usually connected a unreality gaming platform, erstwhile you've pressed a fastener the awesome has to beryllium transmitted (most often done Bluetooth) to the receiving device, past sent implicit an net connection. It is subsequently work by the root device, sent backmost to the receiving device, past transmitted to your TV (if not utilizing a smartphone oregon tablet screen). Each of these actions instrumentality clip and that tin beryllium captious to creaseless gaming experiences arsenic milliseconds tin beryllium the quality betwixt avoiding a slug oregon being changeable successful the face.

It besides works with galore third-party Bluetooth controllers (including the Xbox Wireless Controller) but they could present a small other latency successful examination with the authoritative controller.

Google Stadia compatible devices

Google Stadia doesn't request a dedicated instrumentality arsenic it is playable done existing connected devices.

For machine use, Stadia works done the Google Chrome net browser. It is truthful disposable connected PC, Mac and Chromebooks without other dedicated bundle oregon devices.

It tin besides beryllium recovered connected prime Smart TVs, including immoderate from LG and Hisense. Models featuring Android TV, specified arsenic those from Sony oregon Philips, tin besides entree the Stadia app.

Alternatively, you tin adhd an Nvidia Shield TV to your setup, arsenic that carries Android TV too. Other Android TV set-top-boxes whitethorn beryllium compatible.

Of course, Google's ain Chromecast Ultra and Chromecast with Google TV tin beryllium utilized to play Stadia games arsenic well.

In presumption of mobile use, some Android and iOS are supported, though the second requires a spot of a enactment around.

All Android phones are compatible, though galore lone enactment successful "Experiment" mode. That means they aren't officially supported unless they are connected the optimised telephone database below, truthful could grounds immoderate bugs.

Google Stadia supported mobile instrumentality list

• Apple iPhone (through Safari)
• Apple iPad (through Safari)
• Asus ROG Phone
• Asus ROG Phone II
• Asus ROG Phone III
• Google Pixel 2
• Google Pixel 2 XL
• Google Pixel 3
• Google Pixel 3 XL
• Google Pixel 3a
• Google Pixel 3a XL
• Google Pixel 4
• Google Pixel 4 XL
• Google Pixel 4a
• Google Pixel 4a 5G
• Google Pixel 5
• Google Pixel 5a
• Google Pixel 6
• Google Pixel 6 Pro
• LG V50 ThinQ
• LG V50S ThinQ
• LG V60 ThinQ
• LG G7 ThinQ
• LG G8 ThinQ
• LG Wing
• OnePlus 5
• OnePlus 5T
• OnePlus 6
• OnePlus 6T
• OnePlus 7
• OnePlus 7 Pro
• OnePlus 7 Pro 5G
• OnePlus 7T
• OnePlus 7T Pro
• OnePlus 7T Pro 5G
• OnePlus 8

• OnePlus 8 Pro
• OnePlus 8T
• OnePlus Nord
• OnePlus Nord N10 5G
• OnePlus Nord N100
• Razer Phone
• Razer Phone 2
• Samsung Galaxy Note 8
• Samsung Galaxy Note 9
• Samsung Galaxy Note 10
• Samsung Galaxy Note 10+
• Samsung Galaxy Note 20
• Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra
• Samsung Galaxy S8
• Samsung Galaxy S8+
• Samsung Galaxy S8 Active
• Samsung Galaxy S9
• Samsung Galaxy S9+
• Samsung Galaxy S10
• Samsung Galaxy S10+
• Samsung Galaxy S20
• Samsung Galaxy S20+
• Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra
• Samsung Galaxy S21
• Samsung Galaxy S21+
• Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra
• Samsung Galaxy Tab A
  Samsung Galaxy Tab A7
• Samsung Galaxy Tab S5e
• Samsung Galaxy Tab S6
• Samsung Galaxy Tab S7
• Samsung Galaxy Tab S7+

As good arsenic the dedicated Stadia controller, compatible telephone users tin nexus an Xbox Wireless Controller oregon PlayStation DualShock 4 controller to their instrumentality via Bluetooth to play Stadia games.

Touch controls are besides present disposable erstwhile playing games connected mobile devices, though the much analyzable games are hard to play utilizing the screen.

Can you play Stadia games implicit mobile data?

In October 2020, Google officially added the quality to play Stadia games implicit a 4G oregon 5G transportation connected a mobile device.

It could beryllium utilized successful beta signifier before, but it present works afloat and tin beryllium switched connected oregon disconnected successful settings.

How overmuch does Google Stadia cost?

There are 2 levels of membership: Stadia Pro, which is paid for, and plain Stadia, a escaped entree plan.

Stadia Pro rank costs £8.99 per period successful the UK, $9.99 per period successful the US, and €9.99 successful different European countries. That gives users up to 4K HDR gameplay and 5.1 situation sound. However, you inactive person to bargain the bulk of games connected top.

That's because, portion Stadia Pro rank entitles users to add respective escaped games per period to their libraries - a spot like PlayStation Plus and Xbox Live Gold - it isn't an all-you-can-eat service.

A Stadia Premiere Edition bundle is disposable arsenic a kind-of starter pack. Priced astatine £69.99 ($79.99) it includes a Clearly White Stadia controller and a Chromecast Ultra susceptible of streaming 4K HDR gameplay to your TV. To support the outgo down (it was a batch much costly previously), you nary longer get a voucher codification for Stadia Pro membership, but each caller users get a escaped proceedings anyway.

It is disposable for free for 1 month, whether you acquisition the Premiere Edition oregon not. It volition past revert to £8.99/$9.99/€9.99 aft the proceedings is over, but you tin opt retired easy earlier then.

The alternate program was primitively known arsenic Stadia Base, but is present conscionable plain aged Stadia. It is simply a wage arsenic you spell program - you person to bargain games individually, arsenic with Pro, but don't get immoderate escaped monthly games included. Standard Stadia is besides restricted to a maximum of 1080p and stereo sound. The benefit, however, is that you don't person to wage immoderate monthly subscription fees.

You tin revert to the escaped Stadia rank aft your escaped proceedings of Stadia Pro is over.

With some rank options, purchased games volition everlastingly beryllium assigned to your Stadia relationship and you tin play them arsenic often arsenic you like. 

Pricing for caller games is determined by developers and publishers. They are astir the aforesaid terms arsenic console titles.

Separate Stadia controllers are disposable successful Just Black, Clearly White and Wasabi colourways astatine £59 ($69) each.

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Google Stadia crippled list

The Stadia games database is ever-expanding. Here is the confirmed crippled database truthful far:

Available Stadia games (as of 6 January 2022):

• A Place for the Unwilling
• Ark: Survival Evolved
• Ary and ythe Secret of Seasons
• Assassin's Creed 3 Remastered
• Assassin's Creed Black Flag
• Assassin's Creed Odyssey
• Assassin's Creed Liberation HD
• Assassin's Creed Origins
• Assassin's Creed Rogue Remastered
• Assassin's Creed Syndicate
• Assassin's Creed Unity
• Assassin's Creed Valhalla
• Attack connected Titan 2: Final Battle
• AVICII Invector
• Baldur's Gate 3 (Early Access)
• Ben 10: Power Trip
• Blaze and the Monster Machines: Axle City Racers
• Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night
• Blue Fire
• Borderlands 3
• Cake Bash
• Celeste
• Chicken Police - Paint it Red!
• Child of Light
• Chorus
• Chronos: Before the Ashes
• Control Ultimate Edition
• Cosmic Star Heroine
• Crayta
• Cris Tales
• Cthulhu Saves Christmas
• Cyberpunk 2077
• Darksiders Genesis
• Darksiders III
• Darkwood
• Dead by Daylight
• Destiny 2
• Destroy All Humans!
• Dirt 5
• Disco Elysium
• Doom
• Doom 64
• Doom Eternal
• Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2
• Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot
• Dragon Quest XI S: Echoes of an Elusive Age
• DreamWorks Dragons: Dawn of New Riders
• DReamWorks Spirit Lucky's Big Adventure
• El Hijo - A Wild West Tale
• Embr
• Enter the Gungeon
• Epistory - Typing Chronicles
• Everspace
• F1 2020
• Family Feud
• Far Cry 5
• Far Cry 6
• Far Cry New Dawn
• Farming Simulator 19
• Farming Simulator 22
• FIFA 21
• FIFA 22
• Figment
• Final Fantasy XV
• Floor Kids
• Foreclosed
• From Space
• Get Packed
• Ghost Recon Wildlands
• Gigantosaurus The Game
• Gods Will Fall
• Grid
• Grime
• Gunsport
• Gylt
• Heist Simulator (Early Access)
• Hello Engineer
• Hello Neighbour
• Hello Neighbour: Hide and Seek
• Hellpoint
• Hitman
• Hitman 2
• Hitman 3
• Hotline Miami
• Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number
• Human Fall Flat
• Humankind
• Hundred Days - Winemaking Simulator
• Hunting Simulator 2
• Ice Age: Scrat's Nutty Adventure
• Immortals Fenyx Rising
• Into the Breach
• It Came from Space and Ate Our Brains
• Jotun: Valhalla Edition
• Journey to the Savage Planet
• Judgment
• Just Dance 2021
• Just Dance 2022
• Just Shapes & Beats
• Katamari Damacy Reroll
• Kaze and the Wild Masks
• Kemono Heroes
• Killer Queen Black
• Kine
• Kona
• Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light
• Lara Croft and the Temple of Osiris
• Legend of Keepers: Career of a Dungeon Manager
• Life is Strange Remastered - coming 1 February 2022
• Life is Strange: Before the Storm Remastered - coming 1 February 2022
• Life is Strange: True Colors
• Little Big Workshop
• Little Nightmares
• Little Nightmares II
• Lost Words: Beyond the Page
• Madden NFL 21
• Madden NFL 22
• Mafia III: Definitive Edition

• Marvel Avengers
• Merek's Market
• Metro 2033 Redux
• Metro Exodus
• Metro Last Light Redux
• Monopoly
• Monster Boy and the Cursed Kingdom
• Monster Energy Supercross - The Official Videogame 3
• Monster Energy Supercross - The Official Videogame 4
• Monster Jam Steel Titans
• Monster Jam Steel Titans 2
• Moonlighter
• Mortal Kombat 11
• MotoGP 20
• Murder by Numbers
• My Friend Peppa Pig
• Nanotale - Typing Chronicles
• NBA 2K20
• NBA 2K21
• Octopath Traveler
• Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 - The Official Video Game
• One Hand Clapping
• One Piece World Seeker
• Orcs Must Die 3
• Outcasters
• Outriders
• Outward
• Pac-Man Mega Tunnel Battle
• Panzer Dragoon: Remake
• Paw Patrol Mighty Pups Save Adventure Bay
• Paw Patrol The Movie: Adventure City Awaits
• PGA Tour 2K21
• Phoenix Point
• PHOGS!
• Pikuniku
• PixelJunk Raiders
• PJ Masks: Heroes of the Night
• PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds (PUBG)
• Power Rangers: Battle for the Grid
• Rage 2
• Rainbow Six Extraction -  coming 20 January 2022
• Rayman Legends
• Red Dead Redemption 2
• Reigns
• Relicta
• République
• Resident Evil 7 biohazard
• Resident Evil Village
• Riders Rebublic
• Rise of the Tomb Raider
• Risk of Rain 2
• Rock of Ages 3: Make & Break
• Saints Row: The Third Remastered
• Saints Row IV: Re-Elected
• Samurai Shodown
• Scott Pilgrim vs The World
• Secret Neighbour
• Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice
• Serious Sam Collection
• Serious Sam 4

• Shadow of the Tomb Raider
• Shantae: Half-Genie Hero
• Shantae: Risky's Revenge
• Sniper Elite 4
• Spiritfarer
• Spitlings
• SpongeBob SquarePants: Battle for Bikini Bottom Rehydrated
• Stacks connected Stacks (on Stacks)
• Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order
• SteamWorld Dig
• SteamWorld Dig 2
• SteamWorld Heist
• SteamWorld Quest: Hand of Gilgamech
• Strange Brigade
• Street Power Football
• Streets of Rage 4
• Submerged: Hidden Depths
• Sundered: Eldritch Edition
• Super Animal Royale
• Super Bomberman R Online
• Superhot
• Superhot: Mind Control Delete
• Terraria
• The Addams Family: Mansion Mayhem
• The Crew 2
• The Darkside Detective
• The Darkside Detective: A Fumble successful the Dark
• The Division 2
• The Elder Scrolls Online
• The Falconeer
• The Gardens Between
• The Jackbox Party Pack 6
• The Jackbox Party Pack 7
• The Jackbox Party Pack 8
• The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel III
• The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel IV
• The Turing Test
• Thumper
• Tohu
• Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Breakpoint
• Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Wildlands
• Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Siege
• Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition
• Transformers: Battlegrounds
• Trials Rising
• Trine 4
• Uno
• Unto The End
• Valkyria Chronicles 4 Complete Edition
• Watch Dogs
• Watch Dogs 2
• Watch Dogs Legion
• Wave Break
• Wavetale
• Welcome to Elk
• West of Loathing
• Windbound
• Wolfenstein: Youngblood
• Wreckfest
• WWE 2K Battlegrounds
• Young Souls
• Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of Dana
• Ys IX: Monstrum Nox
• Zombie Army 4: Dead War

What broadband speeds bash you request to tally Google Stadia?

Google claims that Stadia is susceptible of moving games successful up to 4K HDR and astatine 60 frames-per-second.

It is besides susceptible of up to 5.1 situation dependable done Chromecast and the Chrome browser. However, each video show and dependable prime volition beryllium determined by your broadband transportation and necessitate a Stadia Pro subscription (standard Stadia rank maxes astatine 1080p).

For the champion acquisition - 4K HDR astatine 60fps and with 5.1 dependable - you truly request a recommended velocity of 35Mbps. However, games volition inactive tally from a recommended, implicit minimum velocity of 10Mbps. You volition apt beryllium restricted to 720p and stereo, but should inactive get 60fps.

You tin cheque your velocity utilizing a dedicated online trial here.

Google makes a bold assertion that, sometime successful the future, Stadia volition beryllium susceptible of streaming successful up to 8K and astatine 120fps. However, that is simply a agelong mode disconnected and volition necessitate acold greater net speeds than galore nationalist averages.

NOTE: The solution of Stadia games is determined by the developers and publishers, not Google. So, portion you whitethorn beryllium a Pro subordinate and person a Chromecast Ultra oregon compatible PC moving the Chrome browser, a crippled mightiness not beryllium outputting autochthonal 4K HDR. And portion you could beryllium receiving 4K HDR video astatine your end, you mightiness find that the game, specified arsenic Destiny 2, is locked to 1080p for performance.

Where is Stadia available?

Stadia is presently disposable successful the pursuing countries: UK, US, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Ireland, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the Czech Republic.

Writing by Rik Henderson. Originally published connected 8 February 2018.