Image: © sezer66/Stock.adobe.com
Internet giant sheds more light on its Netflix-style gaming platform.
Ireland will be among the first 14 countries to receive Google’s new Stadia gaming platform in November.
In March Google revealed the new game streaming service for Chrome, Android and TVs that lets users instantaneously play high-definition video games.
The platform potentially signals the demise of the gaming console as we know it and the internet giant’s foray into serving up video games on-demand using a Netflix-style charging model.
Will Stadia be a game-changer?
The company last night revealed that users can now pre-order the Stadia Founder’s Edition at the Google Store. The Founder’s Edition is said to pack nearly €300 of value into a price tag of €129.99 and includes a ChromeCast Ultra, a limited-edition Night Blue controller, three months’ access to Stadia Pro, a three-month Buddy Pass and first dibs on selecting a Stadia name/profile.
As well as Ireland, the platform will launch in 13 countries in November including the US, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden and the UK, with more countries expected to be announced in 2020.
As well as revealing early availability of the platform, Google also announced the first collection of games, with more titles to be added later in the summer. The first raft of games includes Destiny 2, Assassin’s Creed Odyssey, Doom Eternal, The Division 2 and Wolfenstein: Youngblood.
The Stadia controller. Image: Google
“The Founder’s Edition gives our first set of fans the highest-quality gaming experience. You’ll get Stadia Pro and the ability to play your favourite games across multiple screens,” said John Justice, vice-president of product at Google. “For those of you with a 4K TV and Stadia Pro, you’ll get up to 4K HDR resolution at 60 frames per second with 5.1 surround sound.
“Stadia Pro will include free content, as well as discounts on titles you buy. The first free title is Destiny 2 and it comes with the base game, all previous add-ons, the upcoming Shadowkeep expansion and the annual pass. And, after your free three-month subscription ends, Stadia Pro is only €9.99 per month.”
Google also confirmed that the GStore controller will cost €69.
