Google Stadia is reportedly preparing to launch its free tier, in addition to a player limit and YouTube streaming, according to code discovered in the video game streaming service’s version 2.7 update.
Google Stadia promised two tiers of service. However, in its launch in November last year, the only option was the $10-per-month Stadia Pro, which was accompanied by the release of the Stadia Controller. It was unclear when the free Stadia Base tier will be rolled out.
According to 9to5Google, the Google Stadia app is preparing to launch Stadia Base within the year. Currently, people can only sign up for the service through a code received when purchasing the Founder’s Edition or Premiere Edition, or from a gifted Buddy Pass. A string in the new update, however, reveals an upcoming option to sign up without a paid code.
Code in the Google Stadia update also revealed that Stadia Base members will also be offered a free one-month trial for Stadia Pro.
Google Stadia, meanwhile, expects a significant spike in players once the service starts offering Stadia Base. To prevent the influx of players from affecting Stadia Pro members, it appears that the number of free accounts registered in an area will be limited.
“Sorry, Stadia is full in your area,” 9to5Google discovered in the app’s code. “In order to provide the best game quality for everyone, we limit the number of accounts on Stadia. We’ve hit that limit, but we’re working hard to build additional room in the Stadia cloud so more people can enjoy the same high-quality game performance. Please check back in the future for new player availability.”
It is unclear what Google Stadia means by “area,” what the limit is for Stadia Base players, and how the limit is determined.
9to5Google also discovered code for YouTube live streaming, including features such as changing the stream’s name and visibility, as well as a family sharing limit that allows only one member to play a particular game on Google Stadia at any given time, and improved screenshot capture and sharing.
There is no release date yet for 9to5Google’s discovered Google Stadia features, but with the code being prepared, subscribers and potential customers should not be waiting too long.
