Google just finished their Stadia Connect stream. I have to say I was pleasantly surprised. I'm still not totally sold on it, but it's looking far better than I was expecting. The bandwidths that are supported are reasonable: Tweet— Twitter API (@user) date The pricing isn't even that bad for the monthly Pro option: Tweet— Twitter API (@user) date Launching in November: Tweet— Twitter API (@user) date There's a 'Founders Edition' that comes with some goodies and gives you the first chance to reserve your username on the platform. https://store.google.com/product/stadia_founders_edition
wont be long till someone do a performance comparison against geforce now which was pretty good when it had a couple of months free. shame these "founders" and "day one" shenanigans is catching on now
I guess the good thing about these streaming services (from a consumer pov) is that they'll live or die on whether they're actually any good in practice. Unless you go for the upfront founders edition/hardware* malarkey ( ), there is basically zero initial investment in the platform. If it sucks early on people will quickly stop using it, stop paying for it and it will die (as has basically happened up until now). *Maybe not quite so bad/risky if the controller and chromecast also work outside the Stadia ecosystem.
Lets just hope game publishers don't play stupid license wars like the movie companies: Movie A only on Netflix, Movie B only on Amazon Prime, Movie C only on Hulu, Movie D only on Disney Stream thing etc could easily end up being replicated with Game A only on Stadia, Game B only on PS Now etc...
Looking good on that front so far. Bungie have partnered with Google Stadia on Destiny and they just announced an end to all their exclusives and cross-saves are being introduced for all platforms (with Sony only agreeing to this yesterday!) I know this is more about being free from Activision, but at least it doesn't yet *appear* to be "out of the frying pan, into the fire!"
The Founders Edition at £119 doesn't look to be too bad value wise which is a nice surprise. You get a Stadia Controller (£59), Google Chromecast Ultra (£69) and 3 months of Pro for you and a friend (2 x £26.97 = £53.94) = £181.94. As someone with a decent internet connection my main concerns are basically noticeable latency (which was obvious in the demos they've done) and the available (especially free) games. If (and it is a big IF) they nail those two points to an acceptable degree it could be a real game changer. Edit: Looks like the controller is £59 not £69. Adjusted the above pricing accordingly.
Have to agree. I'm not fully sold on it all, but I am pleasantly surprised with what they've announced. I know this stuff has been tried and failed before but if anyone's got the money to pull it off Google and Microsoft do. If their ventures work out it could also put more pressure on ISPs as to what a "decent" connection actually is, much like Netflix and streaming TV services have done. I know my download can handle 1080p according to their Stadia speedtester, but I only have 1Mbps up... interested to know how much that will impact on it. I'm definitely interested in trying it out. I can see, at least at the start, it could be really nice for people working away from home, etc. You don't want to take your PC/console with you and you'd rather not pay extra for a gaming laptop you don't really need. I know a lot of people who'd be interested in it just for that alone.
But when will the adverts show? As a loading screen? Between rounds? In the game? Stoping the game? I feel cynical but google are pushing adverts into everything, why not their gaming section. Let the base build up then intrduce and offer an premium ad free package
Yeah, this is my concern - Not only from Google themselves, but there must be some advertising incentives for publishers/developers too, surely...
It was a good run. Well, a run. Err, a walk? Shamble. Hobble? Anyway, Stadia's toast, to nobody's surprise. Generously, though, Google's refunding everybody. Like, everything - the cost of the hardware, anything you spent on games, DLC, subscriptions , the works. EDIT: Tell a lie, they're not refunding subscriptions. Everything else, tho'.
That's only 2 people so probably no big deal for Google. EDIT - The only real surprise here is that it survived as long as it did. Google killing it off was always a when and not an if bc... it's Google.
You know it's gone badly when Google can afford to refund everybody, no questions asked. Then again, they have more than enough money. It didn't even crawl. I suspect the refunds are to avoid lawsuits, IIRC this is the first game library service to shut down without the company behind it folding or suffering a hostile takeover.
Well, the news came as a surprise to someone: Tweet— Twitter API (@user) date Big oof. EDIT: Also apparently a surprise to... err, Google's Stadia team. Tweet— Twitter API (@user) date Double oof.
Getting into bed with Google is like getting into bed with Activision or EA, you'd have to be very stupid or very desperate to do it. If they didn't get paid up front, I'm leaning to the former.
Kinda surprised anyone bought into it in the first place. This had fail stamped on it from inception.
I would have bought into it, if it was a Netflix-style (or Game Pass-style, I guess) all-you-can-eat buffet. Or even if it'd tied into my Steam library. But I have to buy the games? At full price? Nuts to that.
