BALDUR'S GATE III is Real and Everything Else from Google's Stadia Connect Including Pricing, Release Window, and Games List
I have been really interested in Google Stadia since it was first announced a couple of months ago. Since then, there have been a fair number of rumors and speculation regarding Google’s approach to gaming. In case you don’t know what Stadia is, it is the ability to stream games over the internet to any device running Google Chrome. Got a crappy laptop? As long as it runs Chrome and you have internet that reaches at least 10 Mbps, you’ll be able to enjoy a long list of AAA games like everyone else. Today was the services first ever Stadia Connect and we got a lot of new information including pricing, release window, and a list of games that will be available.
First, let’s talk about the games that will be available. The first game revealed was Baldur’s Gate III. That’s right, that rumor about Larian Studios making Baldur’s Gate III have turned out to be true and it is one of the many games making its way to Google’s streaming service. You can watch a announcement trailer for it below.
We also saw that Ghost Recon Breakpoint and The Division 2 were making their way over. Other games include Gylt which appears to be a horror game, Get Packed which is a wacky game I don’t know how to describe, and Destiny 2 complete with all the DLC and expansions. If that list doesn’t have you convinced yet, here’s even more great titles:
DRAGON BALL XENOVERSE 2
DOOM Eternal
Wolfenstein: Youngblood
Power Rangers: Battle For The Grid
Metro Exodus
Thumper
GRID
SAMURAI SHODOWN
Football Manager 2020
The Elder Scrolls Online
The Crew 2
Assassin's Creed Odyssey
Trials Rising
NBA 2K
Borderlands 3
Farming Simulator 19
Mortal Kombat 11
Rage 2
FINAL FANTASY XV
Tomb Raider Trilogy
Darksiders Genesis
Just Dance 2020
So, you might be wondering how much this whole thing is going to cost and when it will be available. We don’t have a solid release date, but it was announced that 14 countries including the United States would get Stadia this November with an eventual rollout in 2020 to everyone else. The price will vary depending on the experience you want. You can choose to not pay a subscription fee (called Stadia Base) to get up to 1080p gameplay at 60 fps and you simply have to purchase the individual games. This unfortunately won’t be available until next year though. If you want to go the subscription route (Stadia Pro) you can start later this year and it will run you $9.99 a month which is a lot better than I thought it would be. That gives you up to 4K resolution, 60 fps, 5.1 surround sound, and access to games for free. Plus, you get a discount on purchasing certain games. If you decide to cancel your subscription, you’ll still be able to play any games you had already purchased.
One more thing to consider is the Founder’s Edition. This is available now for pre-order and gives you 3 months of Stadia Pro, a buddy pass for 3 months of Stadia Pro for a friend, an exclusive Night Blue Stadia controller, a Founder’s Stadia Name, and a Google Chromecast Ultra. This bundle will cost $129 which is really good considering the Chromecast Ultra and Stadia Controller for about $70 each on their own. If you want to play on your TV, you will need these. However, if you want to play on a different device, you can use any supported controller.
I am sorely tempted by this offer, especially since I have a Chromebook that can’t run most games. This could be a very good option and the price is incredible. I thought it was going to be a lot more. What do you think of this list of games and pricing for Stadia?