Cloud gaming has become more popular and easily accessible than ever before due to the widespread availability of high-speed internet and cutting-edge devices supporting it.
Knowing the importance and increasing demand of cloud gaming, Google also decided to jump into the field with a device and online service named “Stadia”.
So, is Google Stadia worth it? Should you invest in this gaming platform that was launched only a couple of years ago? Well, you’ll find answers to these questions in this article, so make sure to read it till the end.
What is Google Stadia?
Powered by Google, Stadia is a cloud-native gaming platform that allows players to connect online and play together using different devices at different locations. According to its official advertisements, the device is capable of streaming video games.
The resolution available to players goes up to 4K resolution that too at 60 frames per second, thanks to the support for high-dynamic-range powered by many data centers of the company.
How Many Countries is Google Stadia Available in 2021?
No matter if you choose the free or paid service of the cloud-native gaming platform, you would only be able to stream Google Stadia games in countries where it is available. Yes, the availability of Google Stadia is limited to some countries. As of now, the availability of Google Stadia is limited to 22 countries that are mentioned as follows. Have a look!
- United States*
- Canada
- United Kingdom
- Ireland
- Netherlands
- Poland
- Portugal
- Spain
- Sweden
- France
- Italy
- Germany
- Austria
- Belgium
- Switzerland
- Denmark
- Norway
- Finland
- Czech Republic
- Slovakia
- Romania
- Hungary
*The service of Stadia cloud gaming is currently not available in Hawaii and Guam.
What Are Some of the Key Google Stadia Features?
The cloud-enabled gaming platform of Google Stadia is famous for many of its revolutionary features. Some of them have been listed below for your reference:
- Streaming of games in HDR with 4K Resolution and 60 frames per second.
- No need to download any new content. Players can start playing anytime, anywhere.
- Recording of live gameplay available via YouTube.
- The option of ‘Picture-in-picture’ is available where screens of multiple gameplays will appear on the players’ screen for a more immersive gaming experience.
- Unlike many other online and live streaming gaming platforms that limit up to 20 users playing together at a time, Google Stadia allows up to 40 players in a single gaming session.
Is Google Stadia Worth it? Let’s Discuss the Good Part First
People who are planning to buy Google Stadia should know about its bright side. So, here we go!
- With only a $9.99 a month subscription fee, Google Stadia Pro isn’t an expensive service.
- All games that a player once purchased, will remain in their possession, whether they continue their subscription for the Pro package or not.
- Unlimited access to free games is one of the best advantages of a Stadia Pro subscription. Also, the collection of these free games keep updating on a monthly basis.
- If you are using Chromecast Ultra on compatible devices including TVs and PCs, you’ll be able to play games at 4K HDR resolution on Stadia Pro. It is a feature that the gamers would definitely want to have to make the most of their gaming experience while playing games like Cyberpunk 2077 – one of the most visually stunning modern games in today’s world.
- No regular updates. Yes, this could probably be one of the biggest benefits of using Google Stadia. Since all the games are on cloud storage, instead of being stored on your local hard drive, they do not require constant heavy updates, otherwise, it would be a really time-consuming process.
Is Google Stadia Worth it? Now Let’s Shed Light on the Bad Part
After we discussed all the good things about Stadia, it’s time to discuss the bad part. Here we are going to list down some of the most prominent drawbacks of Google Stadia that every buyer of it is entitled to know.
- We all are aware of the fact that Stadia is an online gaming platform. This means that the game you’re playing is not installed on your PC or other types of consoles in your home, instead, it is being streamed from servers that may be located thousands of miles away. So, latency is one of the biggest issues of Stadia, especially if the speed of your internet connection is below 10Mbps.
- Despite the fact that Stadia Pro users have access to an extensive game library, they cannot play it unless they buy it. Yes, Stadia Pro requires players to pay for each game that they are interested in playing, other than the free games.
- The progress of the free games you’re playing in Google Stadia will all be lost once you unsubscribe from its “Pro” subscription. You should be aware of this fact. However, your paid games would remain unaffected.
- Stadia is a relatively new entrant in the market and is currently available in a few regions around the world, it has a very small and limited online community. This is unlike many other gaming platforms that have many many more online subscribers. For instance, there are over 47.4 million subscribers of PlayStation Plus.
Should You Buy Google Stadia in 2021?
While for some online gamers the benefits of Google Stadia may outweigh the drawbacks that we have discussed above and vice versa for others. Well, it all depends on your preferences that whether you should buy Google Stadia or not — and we’ll leave this decision to you.
This was a detailed overview of Google Stadia, detailing many of its benefits and drawbacks. Whether you are planning to buy Stadia online gaming services or not, we hope the information we have compiled in this article will help you make a smart choice
Try out Google Stadia here for free.
