As promised earlier in the week, Google has revealed more information about Stadia, it’s cloud-based gaming platform. The livestream kicked off earlier today, containing lots of new details regarding pricing, subscription, and availability.
Firstly, there will be two subscription tiers; the first is Stadia Pro, which will cost US$9.99 (~RM41) a month. At that price, Stadia Pro also allows gamers to stream their gaming experience at up to 4K resolution at 60fps, and with 5.1 surround sound, provided you have the home entertainment setup for it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k-BbW6zAjL0
Speaking of which, Google says that you’re going to need an internet connection with speeds of 35Mbps or higher if you’re going to want to enjoy that 4K resolution and high framerates. However, the search engine is also quick to point out that Stadia can also run at a recommended minimum of 10Mbps, albeit at a much lower resolution of 720p.
Of course, like most things in life, there is a catch; subscribing to Stadia Pro doesn’t include any games. Save for the additional free games that Google says it will release regularly, and the exclusive discounts on “select game purchases”. On that note, there’s still no indication as to just how much each title will cost on Stadia, in comparison to other online gaming platforms.
Stadia Pro will be launching in November this year, but in order to subscribe to the service now, you’ll have to pre-order the Stadia Founder’s Edition bundle. The bundle costs US$129 (~RM536), and for that price, you get a limited edition Night Blue Stadia controller, a Chromecast Ultra, a three-month subscription for Stadia Pro, and a free copy of Destiny 2: The Collection game. Oh, and you’ll also be one of the first few people to have dibs on their Stadia name.
There’s also Stadia Base, which will only be available sometime next year. As you would expect, the subscription is a less premium version of Stadia Pro; instead of 4K resolutions, you’re limited to just Full HD streaming at 60fps, as well as just stereo sound. You also do get access to Stadia’s free games offer or even discounts to selective games.
Google Stadia will first launch in 14 countries. These countries are the US, Canada, UK, Ireland, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands, Belgium, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, and Finland. Unsurprisingly, Malaysia isn’t on the list, but Google did say that it will add more countries to the list over time, and after the launch.
For the full list of games at launch, you can check out Google’s full list on its FAQ page. However, do note that the list does not include launch dates for each title.
