Google Stadia: Everything you need to know

990 'Stadia' stories March 2019 - September 2021

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Stadia is a streaming service that leverages Google’s cloud to deliver AAA games online.

Stadia Controllers hanging on a wall

What is Google Stadia?

Stadia was a streaming service that leverages Google’s vast cloud infrastructure to deliver AAA and indie games alike over the web without needing specialized gaming hardware. This ambitious effort follows in the footsteps of the company’s other large platforms: Search, Chrome, and Android. Google hopes to bring this form of entertainment to the next billion gamers by removing various limitations that exist today.

What happened to Google Stadia?

In September 2022, Google announced the closure of its Stadia platform. The cloud gaming platform later shut down on January 19, 2023. Refunds were issued to customers for the cost of games, add-ons, and Stadia hardware such as the Stadia Controller.

This is what the death of Google Stadia actually looked like [Video]

Most games on Stadia were already available on other platforms, and the few Stadia exclusives have mostly expanded to other platforms as well.

In April 2023 it was confirmed that Phil Harrison, the former head of Google Stadia, had left the company.

Stadia

Google Stadia voice chat on Android is now live, explained in support document [Updated]

Kyle Bradshaw Sep 29 2021 - 1:28 pm PT

Stadia store on Android

One of the most glaring omissions of the Stadia app for Android may soon be fixed as a Google support document details how voice chat will — and won’t — work.

Update: Voice chat has finally arrived to Stadia for Android.

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Stadia

Google Stadia players can now find teammates with public parties; these games are supported

Ben Schoon Sep 29 2021 - 1:02 pm PT

google stadia

Google Stadia is working on bringing more games to its platform, but another major negative of using the service is the lack of players when it comes to online multiplayer games. To help players better find teammates, Google Stadia has quietly introduced support for public parties.

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Stadia

Stadia ‘Phone Link’ hands-on: Add any controller to your TV w/ your smartphone [Video]

Damien Wilde Sep 27 2021 - 9:00 am PT

A fair few months after we first uncovered the feature, Google has added “Phone Link” to Stadia, allowing you to play games using your smartphone as a gamepad on your Chromecast, Android TV devices, and through a web browser.

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Stadia 3.36 for Android preps voice chat, ‘Instant Trials,’ more

Kyle Bradshaw Sep 24 2021 - 1:57 pm PT

state share for Stadia on Android

The latest version of Stadia for Android includes continued work toward adding voice chat, “Instant Trials” for Stadia store games, and more.

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Stadia Changelog: Chorus gets a release date, Embr goes v1.0, and public parties

Ben Schoon Sep 24 2021 - 1:00 pm PT

It was a fairly quiet week for Google Stadia, but it came with an official release date for Chorus, the upcoming AAA-quality shooter as well as some other important updates.

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Stadia

iOS 15 upgrade breaks Stadia for some users, here’s how to fix it

Ben Schoon Sep 24 2021 - 12:29 pm PT

Google Stadia gameplay came to iOS devices earlier this year through the web, but the recent iOS 15 upgrade has broken the service for many users. If things are not working properly for you, here’s how to get it patched up.

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Stadia

ARK: Survival Evolved for Stadia update improves graphics following early backlash

Ben Schoon Sep 21 2021 - 10:03 am PT

ark survival evolved google stadia

The launch of ARK: Survival Evolved on Google Stadia was long-awaited by many, but it came with a sour note as the game’s port was greatly lacking in graphics compared to the PC version it was supposed to be based on. Now, an update to ARK on Stadia is helping to fix some of those graphics issues.

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Google Stadia Controller

Stadia gains official support for 11 more Samsung devices including Galaxy Tab series

Kyle Bradshaw Sep 17 2021 - 1:02 pm PT

Google Stadia has picked up support for 11 more Samsung devices today, including the Galaxy S21, Galaxy Tab series, and more.

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Stadia Changelog: Free-to-play catalog gets a boost as The Falconeer gets a launch date

Ben Schoon Sep 17 2021 - 1:00 pm PT

Google Stadia had a fun week with several new game launches and even more confirmed to be around the corner including The Falconeer, which is coming next month.

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Google Stadia Premiere Edition Bundle

Stadia

Google encouraging former Stadia Pro users in the UK to resubscribe with free Premiere Edition offer

Abner Li Sep 17 2021 - 11:40 am PT

Google has never revealed Pro or free subscriber numbers for Stadia, but a new promotion reveals that the company is trying to get more in the former category to resubscribe with a “surprise gift.”

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stadia controller

Stadia for Android TV bug freezes controls when you pause a game, Google is aware

Ben Schoon Sep 17 2021 - 8:54 am PT

Google Stadia makes it pretty easy to stream games on your TV, thanks to its new Android TV app, but some users are reporting a pretty frustrating issue. For some reason, the Stadia app for Android TV is leaving controls temporarily broken if a game is paused for too long.

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Stadia Changelog: Life is Strange launches; Skyclimbers confirms release order

Ben Schoon Sep 10 2021 - 1:00 pm PT

Another week, another round of Stadia news. This week, Google’s platform saw the release of Life is Strange: True Colors as Stadia also saw a surprise new Pro game, several free-to-play weekends, and more.

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Stadia loses upcoming exclusive Tchia, which will now be only on PlayStation/Epic Games

Ben Schoon Sep 9 2021 - 3:14 pm PT

As Google inches closer to its goal of 100 games coming to Stadia in 2021, the platform is losing one title that was supposed to arrive next year. Tchia is transitioning from a Stadia exclusive to one for PlayStation and Epic Games.

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Stadia exec Jack Buser moves to Google Cloud to lead further gaming ambitions

Ben Schoon Sep 9 2021 - 11:03 am PT

Stadia is losing another member of its original team, as Jack Buser is moving away from Stadia directly and will instead work under Google Cloud.

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[Update: Fixed in Android 12] Ongoing Android 11 issue seems to ignore game controller input

Ben Schoon Sep 8 2021 - 7:16 am PT

Stadia for iOS

Android updates nowadays are usually pretty stable, but issues can still crop up and go some time without a patch. With Android 11, some users have noticed problems with game controller input being ignored by the system, and it’s still happening.

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Stadia Changelog: Madden NFL 22 gets college football, Ubisoft+ expands

Ben Schoon Sep 3 2021 - 1:00 pm PT

The past week on Google Stadia saw the surprise debut of ARK: Survival Evolved, but elsewhere, there’s good news for college football fans in EA Madden, as well as updates going around for other titles.

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ARK: Survival Evolved finally arrives on Google Stadia and it’s a hot mess [Video]

Ben Schoon Sep 1 2021 - 12:05 pm PT

ark survival evolved google stadia

Surprise! Months after it was originally slated to arrive, ARK: Survival Evolved has finally made its way to Google Stadia today, and as promised, it’s a free addition to the Stadia Pro lineup. However, the hotly anticipated title is arriving in a lackluster fashion.

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[U: Now on Stadia] Orcs Must Die 3’s next major update brings a new trap and game mode

Ben Schoon Sep 1 2021 - 5:17 am PT

One of the best Stadia exclusives ever, Orcs Must Die 3, is set to expand to PC and consoles soon, and with that, it’s also getting a major update. On July 23, the game will pick up a brand-new trap type and the “Scramble” game mode, too.

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[Update: Claim now] Google adds six Stadia Pro games for September 2021, including ARK: Survival Evolved

Abner Li Sep 1 2021 - 12:03 am PT

stadia controller

Google added six games to Stadia Pro for September 2021 in a continuation from last month’s larger than usual drop.

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Google Stadia controller and Pixel Buds

Stadia

Google Stadia players can now change their username without contacting support

Ben Schoon Aug 31 2021 - 11:43 am PT

Stadia is getting a nice quality-of-life tweak this week, as the platform is now rolling out the ability for users to change their name without asking Google for assistance.

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Stadia Changelog: Far Cry 6, Rider’s Republic headline Google’s Gamescom absence

Ben Schoon Aug 27 2021 - 1:00 pm PT

Google says the future of its Stadia platform is in third-party games, but that’s not what you’d think based on events that showcase those exact titles. At Gamescom 2021 this past week, Google Stadia was almost entirely absent, but there was some good news this week.

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Stadia

[Update: Fake] Alleged ‘Star Wars: The Mandalorian’ game shows up in shaky-cam footage running on Stadia

Ben Schoon Aug 26 2021 - 10:51 am PT

More Star Wars video games are coming in the not-too-distant future, but this week it seems we’re getting a first look at one that has yet to be officially announced. A video shows off an alleged, likely unfinished Star Wars: The Mandalorian game that’s running on Google Stadia.

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Stadia 3.31 preps touch gamepad for Android TV, ‘magic linking,’ and more

Kyle Bradshaw Aug 25 2021 - 5:06 pm PT

Stadia app for Android

The latest update to the Stadia app, version 3.31, includes continued work toward a touch gamepad for Android TV, a new “magic linking” method for controllers, and more.

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embr google stadia

Stadia

Embr will get crossplay between Stadia, PC, and consoles next month as it leaves early access

Ben Schoon Aug 23 2021 - 7:08 am PT

One of Stadia’s first early access games was also a partial exclusive in Embr, a wacky firefighting game that was one of our favorite titles on the platform. Now, Embr is gearing up for its full release that includes crossplay between Stadia and other platforms.

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