As of now there are technically 2 huge companies that I know of that claim they can stream video games. Well, to be fair, one of them is more of a huge scam that is trying to claim that you can play PC games on your PC even if it isn't a gaming PC. But the details on that crap aren't really important. What I'm going to be discussing is Google's Stadia. I'm sure most already know all about Stadia. It's becoming a "supposed" big deal in our great industry. But, for those select few that have been uninformed, I'll explain what Stadia is and what it plans to accomplish first.
Stadia promises to give it's users a seamless gaming experience with 60 fps and resolution up to 4K. Google allows gamers to enjoy their gaming sessions on multiple devices such as Laptops, Desktops, Pixel 3, and Pixel 3a², and more. The Stadia Pro Founder's Pack will include free games that will be released regularly. This package will also allow you to receive discounts on select game purchases.
The pitch above sounds really great. It sounds like this very well may be the future of gaming and will change how we gamers will both buy and play games from now on. Although, like most things, if it sounds too good to be true then it most likely is. Google Stadia sounds very much a great example of the "too good to be true" everyday motto. But in order to discuss and dissect all of this, we'll have to break it down one topic at a time. So let's begin...
1) Devices
1A) TVs
In order to use Stadia on your TV, you'll need an HDMI port. That isn't really the tricky part as most TVs nowadays have converted to HDMI ports. You will need to attache the included Chromecast Ultra into one of your HDMI ports. One would think that this is all one needs to do and it would automatically set itself up, however, you would be wrong. Instead, you need to have a smartphone handy in order to set everything up. So, if you lack a smart phone that doesn't have either Android 5.0 and higher or IOS 11.0 and higher than it appears you won't be able to use Stadia on your television. Also, although it shouldn't have to be said, you won't be getting the promised 4K gameplay if you lack a 4K supported TV.
1B) Tablets & PCs
Tablets and Computers are a little easier. Those devices are able to be used with just the controller. Although you will also need some sort of Wi-Fi connection and a mobile device that runs Android 6.0, Marshmallow, or later or iOS 11 or later.
Now in contrast, XBox One and PS4 will cost you more, although you get a lot more with one. Also, if you are okay with buying a used one then the additional price isn't that far out of reach. Used consoles are as low as $250. Brand new might get you for a little over $300 depending where you choose to look. However, the payoff here is that everything you choose to buy on these physical consoles will be yours to keep forever. After you buy some games, you will own them and no-one will be able to take them away from you. Also, say you get bored of a few of those games, you will have the option to trade them in for new ones. Now let's take a look at Nintendo's Switch. Buying that brand new will cost you about $300. However, if you choose to get the new Lite version, then you'll only have to pay about $200. So that means Nintendo's Switch is only about $50 more expensive than Google's Stadia. Added benefits include always having access to your games, the same way PS4 and XBox One works.
The main question here to ask is, why pay such a high price for something that gets you virtually nothing once it's all over? At least with the main 3 right now, after you get a vast collection of physical games, they are never going away and you'll always be able to go back and play them. And most of them DO NOT require an always on Wi-Fi connection. Where as the Stadia will require you to always have Wi-Fi or it just simply won't work.
1C) Smart Phones
Smart Phones are limited. It would appear that if you want to play Stadia on your phone, then your phone will need to be one of the following:
- Pixel 3
- Pixel 3 XL
- Pixel 3a
- Pixel 3a XL
It does not appear that you will be allowed to use a different type of phone at this time. Also due to the Wi-Fi connection requirement, Google Stadia doesn't appear to be able to be used as a remote gaming device, such as what the Nintendo Switch can do.
2) Network requirements
The network requirements are a little more straight forward. The resolution of your games will depend on your Internet speed. The recommended minimum is 10mbps. This will get your resolution to a 720P. 20mbps will get you up to 1080P. If you have between 30mbps and 35mpbs then you will get the full 4K resolution, granted your device can handle 4K. Other features such as HDR and 5.1 surround sound are also device dependent.
3) Games
Of course, this is the most important part of any console. The games. Stadia promises to have dozens of games readily available for launch. Destiny 2: The Collection will be free upon purchase of the Founder's Edition. Although, this is only available if you purchase the Founder's Edition. If you choose to wait for the Base Edition you will get no discounts or free games. It also doesn't appear that you can transport games that you have already purchased from other platforms such as Steam. So if you just bought a $60 game, you will need to buy it all over again to play it on Stadia.
4) Price
The price is different depending on which version of Stadia you get. There are only prices for the Founder's Edition currently. The initial price to order Stadia is $130. On top of that $130 you will get 3 months of Stadia Pro status. The first 3 months come with your initial $130, but after than it will cost you an additional $10 per month. There are benefits to this membership price however, such as discounts on games, and free games that are promised to be released regularly. If you choose to wait and use the Basic edition or choose cancel the monthly membership after your 3 months are up you will lose your discounts and access to Stadia's free games. The biggest difference however, comes in resolution and sound. Unless you pay the Membership fees, you won't be able to game in 4K and have 5.1 Surround Sound. Instead, you'll be reduced to 1080p and Stereo sound.
Why will Google Stadia fail?
Well, there are a lot of things wrong about this entire system that Google is trying to instill with Stadia. I'll go over each of these topics and explain why they aren't a good fit to gaming nowadays.
1) Devices
As far as the devices go, it is nice that you can hook Stadia up to any TV that you want to. The huge problem I see is that you need a phone in order to hook everything up further. According to Stadia's site, you can only use specific phones on the Android site of things. This may not be true, but that is the way it appears. There appears to be specifications on what kind of Tablets and PCs you can use, although you'll still need a phone in order to fully connect and setup the controller. That in contrast of other Bluetooth controllers such as the big 3, Microsoft, Sony, & Nintendo, you don't need a third party application to setup the controller. It seems backwards that you would need an App in order to make the controller work. Why couldn't you just setup Stadia's controller on the device that you are using? Much like how every other device that connects to a device works. It feels like a huge step backwards, like how Nintendo chose their voice chat system.
2) Network & Connectivity
The way Stadia works is very constraining and ludicrous. So imagine this, you finally get your Google Stadia in the mail. You are very excited as anyone would be when obtaining something brand new. You have everything you need, phone, Wi-Fi, PC, Stadia of course. So you start playing and finally get it all setup. You start buying some games and everything is going great. Next thing you know, your Wi-Fi goes out. Well, now you can't play any of those games you just bought. All of them may not require Wi-Fi, but the Stadia controller does, as does the network that Stadia connects to.
Or, say right before you setup your brand new Google Stadia, your phone either gets lost or breaks. Well, now that amazing new device is now virtually as useless as a small paperweight. Due to the way Google is choosing to make Stadia work, you will need everything to line up perfectly in order for this new system to work. They require a specific phone and Wi-Fi. So if you lack an Internet connection even for a brief period, it would appear that you cannot play any of the games that you have bought.
Or, say right before you setup your brand new Google Stadia, your phone either gets lost or breaks. Well, now that amazing new device is now virtually as useless as a small paperweight. Due to the way Google is choosing to make Stadia work, you will need everything to line up perfectly in order for this new system to work. They require a specific phone and Wi-Fi. So if you lack an Internet connection even for a brief period, it would appear that you cannot play any of the games that you have bought.
3) Games
The games are the huge issue here. This is the major deal breaker for most of us, myself included, and should be for you as well. Let's take this scenario into consideration. Say there is this really amazing and extremely controversial game that just hit the market, but for whatever reason, it's a colossal hit. Every single person you know is playing it. You have the Google Stadia and are now choosing to buy said game. Let's just say you pay $45 due to your discount. Now, imagine if Google deems that game bad due to horrid press and activists being against said game due to it's content. So for damage control (because we all know Google is a very public company) they decide to take the game off of their networks and erase it to get a better public image. My dear gamer, you are now out $45. You can no longer access your game that you paid a near full day's salary for and Google isn't opt to give you a refund.
This scenario is not likely as games are considered freedom of speech and are very much protected under those laws and amendments. But it is a very real possibility that certain games will get taken down after they are deemed "too old". Say you buy a $60 game and after 3 years it gets taken down. Google is essentially stealing that $60 from you. They make up for it if you have the Pro Status membership, due to newer games being available for free every now and then. But, what if the free games are not something that you enjoy playing? Then you are stuck either having nothing to play, or having to fork over more money with the uncertainty of losing that game eventually.
The games that you buy, they will never truly be yours. Even if you choose Stadia just for the free games, that will still cost you $10 per month and there is no promise that there will be anything you'll enjoy enough to make that price worth it. For all we know Google may only drop a single game per month. Say that game is a few years old. That means you're getting a good deal and a game for going rate, but you won't be able to choose what you get and if that game gets old enough it could be taken down without notice. Because again, all of these games that you are collecting through Stadia are never going to be yours. You cannot download them, you cannot have a physical version, you are only paying to burrow them from Google. This is much like how Game Fly works but on a much sneakier scale.
This scenario is not likely as games are considered freedom of speech and are very much protected under those laws and amendments. But it is a very real possibility that certain games will get taken down after they are deemed "too old". Say you buy a $60 game and after 3 years it gets taken down. Google is essentially stealing that $60 from you. They make up for it if you have the Pro Status membership, due to newer games being available for free every now and then. But, what if the free games are not something that you enjoy playing? Then you are stuck either having nothing to play, or having to fork over more money with the uncertainty of losing that game eventually.
The games that you buy, they will never truly be yours. Even if you choose Stadia just for the free games, that will still cost you $10 per month and there is no promise that there will be anything you'll enjoy enough to make that price worth it. For all we know Google may only drop a single game per month. Say that game is a few years old. That means you're getting a good deal and a game for going rate, but you won't be able to choose what you get and if that game gets old enough it could be taken down without notice. Because again, all of these games that you are collecting through Stadia are never going to be yours. You cannot download them, you cannot have a physical version, you are only paying to burrow them from Google. This is much like how Game Fly works but on a much sneakier scale.
Other platforms like Steam are also not physical, no. But Steam let's you use any controller you want for most of it's games, not very many games get taken down, and you don't need a phone or a third party device to make it work. Also, there are tons of free games for you to download. You don't need to pay a monthly fee to get those games. As long as your PC can handle the game, you can download it and play it for free. There is no price to download these other platforms and no membership fee.
4) Price
The price perhaps is the biggest scam that a company has ever tried to do for a service. There are so many problems with this service and it's pricing that it's hard to believe that people are lining up and swearing by it. So let's begin by breaking down the price down again.
The initial price right now is $130. The shipping is free although additional taxes may apply depending on where you live. But let's just say it's a straight $130 for the purpose of this explanation. So you pay the $130 and you get the 3 months of Pro Status for free. That's a $30 value. There are also discounts on new games. The first game you'll get for free, that comes with Stadia, is Destiny II: The Bundle. This game is valued at $60. This will put you technically buying Stadia for $70. If you take off the free 3 months then Stadia will cost you $40. While this doesn't seem like a bad price, remember that you are technically buying a game that you will never truly own. Also that is the only game that will be free on launch. You will get discounts on other games although Google is not stating what games and what the discounts will be.
So if we are to add everything up and break everything down it might not seem like such a bad idea. Although, keep in mind that your complete library of games that you have bought throughout the years are not compatible with Google's Stadia, so say you just bought Dragon Ball FighterZ on Steam a while ago, in order to play it on Stadia you will have to buy it again.
The controller's are outrageously priced as well. Let's take a look at all of this from a parent's point of view. Or say you are planning to buy this for someone you know. Now let's say they have more than one person that will be wanting to play it. Well, that will cost you an additional $70. The controllers are just as expensive as Nintendo Switch's are. That is insane for such a cheap looking controller. How is it that a controller that has the same functionality as a regular XBox or Playstation 4 controller costs at the very least $20 more? Is it because you can hook the controller up via your phone? If so, that means, for Google making your gaming lives harder, you're going to be paying them an additional $20. Let's say you do want 2 controllers, let's add up the price now. $130 for the initial price + $70 for the extra controller now puts you up to $200. Also keep in mind that price only lets you have a single game.
The initial price right now is $130. The shipping is free although additional taxes may apply depending on where you live. But let's just say it's a straight $130 for the purpose of this explanation. So you pay the $130 and you get the 3 months of Pro Status for free. That's a $30 value. There are also discounts on new games. The first game you'll get for free, that comes with Stadia, is Destiny II: The Bundle. This game is valued at $60. This will put you technically buying Stadia for $70. If you take off the free 3 months then Stadia will cost you $40. While this doesn't seem like a bad price, remember that you are technically buying a game that you will never truly own. Also that is the only game that will be free on launch. You will get discounts on other games although Google is not stating what games and what the discounts will be.
So if we are to add everything up and break everything down it might not seem like such a bad idea. Although, keep in mind that your complete library of games that you have bought throughout the years are not compatible with Google's Stadia, so say you just bought Dragon Ball FighterZ on Steam a while ago, in order to play it on Stadia you will have to buy it again.
The controller's are outrageously priced as well. Let's take a look at all of this from a parent's point of view. Or say you are planning to buy this for someone you know. Now let's say they have more than one person that will be wanting to play it. Well, that will cost you an additional $70. The controllers are just as expensive as Nintendo Switch's are. That is insane for such a cheap looking controller. How is it that a controller that has the same functionality as a regular XBox or Playstation 4 controller costs at the very least $20 more? Is it because you can hook the controller up via your phone? If so, that means, for Google making your gaming lives harder, you're going to be paying them an additional $20. Let's say you do want 2 controllers, let's add up the price now. $130 for the initial price + $70 for the extra controller now puts you up to $200. Also keep in mind that price only lets you have a single game.
Now in contrast, XBox One and PS4 will cost you more, although you get a lot more with one. Also, if you are okay with buying a used one then the additional price isn't that far out of reach. Used consoles are as low as $250. Brand new might get you for a little over $300 depending where you choose to look. However, the payoff here is that everything you choose to buy on these physical consoles will be yours to keep forever. After you buy some games, you will own them and no-one will be able to take them away from you. Also, say you get bored of a few of those games, you will have the option to trade them in for new ones. Now let's take a look at Nintendo's Switch. Buying that brand new will cost you about $300. However, if you choose to get the new Lite version, then you'll only have to pay about $200. So that means Nintendo's Switch is only about $50 more expensive than Google's Stadia. Added benefits include always having access to your games, the same way PS4 and XBox One works.
The main question here to ask is, why pay such a high price for something that gets you virtually nothing once it's all over? At least with the main 3 right now, after you get a vast collection of physical games, they are never going away and you'll always be able to go back and play them. And most of them DO NOT require an always on Wi-Fi connection. Where as the Stadia will require you to always have Wi-Fi or it just simply won't work.
5) Playability
Now when we talk about play-ability, what I mean of course is how games will play on your device. Each and every game has their own specs and certain specifications that your console or rig needs to have in order for the game to play. If a game requires that you have 2GB of VRAM and you only have 1GB of VRAM, then that game won't be able to play correctly on your device. You cannot physically play a game that requires a Gaming PC on a lesser PC, or a Potato PC. That just isn't how technology works.
Google can make a online network for each and every Stadia use theoretically and make a virtual Gaming PC and make Stadia relay what that Virtual PC would show. Simply put, they could use a screen sharing tactic. However, this will lead to massive amounts of input lag and a lot of other issues and frame rate drops.
Also, Internet connection plays a massive role in how well games will play, and how they will look. If you only have 10mbps available then you won't be seeing your games show up in glorified 4K no matter how good of a PC, TV, or device you have got. Then there is the whole always on Wi-Fi connection issue. Not everyone has the most stable Wi-Fi connection. Sometimes it goes out. Sometimes a company who is doing yard work breaks our Fiber Optic cables and our Internet goes out. If this was to happen then not only would all of your games be inaccessible, but your controller wouldn't work in the slightest due to needing an always on Wi-Fi connection. Also, this requirement puts Stadia at a massive disadvantage to Nintendo's Switch. The Switch is very portable. In order to play online you'll need Wi-Fi, sure, but most games have an offline single player mode. With Stadia, you'll always need a Wi-Fi single. So having Stadia be able to be shown on your phone or Tablet is virtually useless as they've taken away any mobility that Stadia may have had if you were allowed to use your mobile network to run your games on Stadia's platform.
Google can make a online network for each and every Stadia use theoretically and make a virtual Gaming PC and make Stadia relay what that Virtual PC would show. Simply put, they could use a screen sharing tactic. However, this will lead to massive amounts of input lag and a lot of other issues and frame rate drops.
Also, Internet connection plays a massive role in how well games will play, and how they will look. If you only have 10mbps available then you won't be seeing your games show up in glorified 4K no matter how good of a PC, TV, or device you have got. Then there is the whole always on Wi-Fi connection issue. Not everyone has the most stable Wi-Fi connection. Sometimes it goes out. Sometimes a company who is doing yard work breaks our Fiber Optic cables and our Internet goes out. If this was to happen then not only would all of your games be inaccessible, but your controller wouldn't work in the slightest due to needing an always on Wi-Fi connection. Also, this requirement puts Stadia at a massive disadvantage to Nintendo's Switch. The Switch is very portable. In order to play online you'll need Wi-Fi, sure, but most games have an offline single player mode. With Stadia, you'll always need a Wi-Fi single. So having Stadia be able to be shown on your phone or Tablet is virtually useless as they've taken away any mobility that Stadia may have had if you were allowed to use your mobile network to run your games on Stadia's platform.
6) Not available in:
A huge issue with Google Stadia right now, is that their platform is not available in both Hawaii and Guam. I'm not sure why Stadia is not available there, but if you live in either of those places then you will not be able to use Stadia currently.
7) In conclusion
In conclusion, I don't see Google Stadia doing much to change the way we game right now given how they are making it work. All of these requirements are too much for most gamers to bother with and the price is a little high at the moment. If you had gotten everything and a second controller for, say, $50 then maybe I can see it taking off. The $10 a month Pro Membership isn't that outrageous of a price to pay for free games and discounts on new games. There is no portability with this service like originally believed by some, myself included. Tons of gamers are not ready to give up ownership of their games just yet. They like to have something physical in their hands. I feel technology is changing towards this direction, however, it's just not there yet to give birth to such an ambitious idea. Maybe in a few decades the world's Internet speeds will allow such a platform to flourish, but now I feel Stadia is ahead of it's time.
Then again I could very well be wrong and this could be the ultimate future of gaming. Tell me what you think below and I'll be sure to try to get back to you so we can discuss this further.
Either ways, Google Stadia will be coming this November.
All of the information that I acquired above has come from Google Stadia's official webpage.
Google Stadia's Founder Page
Then again I could very well be wrong and this could be the ultimate future of gaming. Tell me what you think below and I'll be sure to try to get back to you so we can discuss this further.
Either ways, Google Stadia will be coming this November.
All of the information that I acquired above has come from Google Stadia's official webpage.
Google Stadia's Founder Page
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