What you need to know
- Google Stadia is an upcoming game streaming platform.
- Concerns of ownership of games have been brought up since it was revealed.
- The company said that its "Stadia Pro" subscription is more like Xbox Live Gold and PlayStation Plus.
- You'll get discounts and a free game once in a while with the subscription.
Google Stadia is an upcoming game streaming service that requires separate game purchases. There's a free "Stadia Base" membership coming in 2020, but in 2019, only "Stadia Pro" will be available. Stadia Pro allows you to stream games you own at up to 4K resolution and 60 frames per second. Stadia Base is limited to only 1080p.
Ever since the Stadia was announced, gamers have been uncertain what the business model is. Will Stadia Pro give gamers access to a massive selection of games like Xbox Game Pass? Director of Product for Stadia Andrey Doronichev was able to answer this question and a few others on Reddit.
According to the company, Stadia Pro is not like Xbox Game Pass, which gives you access to over two hundred games, but it's more like Xbox Live Gold or PlayStation Plus. You get discounts on certain titles when there's a sale, and you also get a free game now and then. He said the following.
To be clear, Stadia Pro is not 'Netflix for Game' like some people have mentioned, a closer comparison would be like Xbox Live Gold or PlayStation Plus... Pro subscribers get 4K... streaming... exclusive discounts, and access to some free games. Roughly one free game per month give or take. Starting with Destiny 2.
If Microsoft bundles its streaming service, "Project xCloud," with Xbox Game Pass or Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, then Google has a lot to be worried about. Forgoing the ability to download games questions the very nature of ownership. However, there are other concerns that Google needs to address, like the lack of achievements at launch.
In the same Reddit post, Doronichev added that Stadia wouldn't launch with achievements. He said the following.
We'll have something similar to other platforms. However, it will not be there immediately at launch. Will come a little bit later.
Considering those achievements are a necessary part of any modern gaming platform, it's shocking that they won't be available at launch. We'll have to see how Google implements them down the line because right now, Microsoft's "Gamerscore" system is by far the most advanced.
What do you think about this new information? Are you concerned about what Stadia Pro offers? Do you care about game achievements at launch? Let us know.
Xbox
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