Google Stadia Presentation Reveals Stadia Pro, Dozens of Games

Today’s Google Stadia Presentation was a flurry of info on Google’s new device and the games the tech giant has confirmed are coming to it.

First and most important, Google Stadia will launch in this fall.

At launch, that will mean smart TVs, desktop and laptop computers, and mobile devices, specifically Pixel 3 and 3a smartphones first. Compatibility with other smartphones may come later, but that has yet to be announced as of this writing.

Phil Harrison, vice president and general manager for Google, stated the goal was to have Stadia available on “any screen” that can run Chrome, so further hardware compatibility may be on the announcement list later in time.

It was also announced that Google Stadia will be compatible with certain controllers as well as keyboard and mouse set ups, although specifics outside of Stadia’s first-party controllers were not shared. 

During the presentation, Harrison also touched on the video and audio qualities available at particular bandwidths.

But there’s a catch: Stadia Pro.

Google Stadia will be launching with the Studio Pro subscription service, which will grant players the “full experience” — 4K video will be available only to Pro subscribers.

Pre-orders for Google Stadia Founder’s Edition are open as of today. Costing $129.99 (which is a pretty great deal), Founder’s Edition buyers get:

• Chromecast Ultra
• Limited edition Night Blue controller
• Three months of Stadia Pro
• Three months of Stadia Pro for a friend
• First dibs on a Stadia name

Google Stadia Pro itself comes with the following full benefits:

• Up to 4K and 60 fps HDR streaming with 5.1 surround sound
• Discounts on select games
• Select free games as long as the Stadia Pro subscription is active
• The “full Destiny 2 experience”, which includes the base game, already-released DLCs, the Shadowkeep expansion, and the Annual Pass; Guardians can be transferred from PC and Xbox One)

Of course, a big announcement like this wouldn’t be complete without a good chunk of game announcements and even further publisher reveals. The games announced for the Google Stadia during the presentation were:

• Destiny 2
• GRID
• Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2
• The Elder Scrolls Online
• DOOM Eternal
• DOOM (2016)
• Rage 2
• Wolfenstein: Youngblood
• Baldur’s Gate 3
• Get Packed (Stadia exclusive)
• Gylt (Stadia exclusive)
• Metro Exodus
• Football Manager
• Mortal Kombat 11
• Darksiders Genesis
• Just Dance
• Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Breakpoint
• Tom Clancy’s The Divison 2
• The Crew 2
• Trials Rising
• Assassin’s Creed Odyssey
• Samurai Shodown
• Final Fantasy XV
• Tomb Raider Definitive Edition
• Rise of the Tomb Raider
• Shadow of the Tomb Raider
• Power Rangers: Battle for the Grid
• Farming Simulator 19
• Thumper
• Borderlands 3
• NBA 2K

More games are sure to be announced for the Stadia during E3 next week, as publishers such as Capcom, Rockstar, and Electronic Arts were all confirmed to have titles coming to the platform during the presentation. We will very likely see what they have in store next week.

Those yet unsold on the Google Stadia still have some time until they can pass judgment on Google’s new project, but if you just can’t wait you can jump on over and get your pre-order in before the limited Founder’s Edition pre-orders all run out.