Google drops the price of Stadia Premiere to $100

By Jon Silman Published June 17, 2020

Google has slashed the price of its Stadia Premiere Edition to $100 from $130. The edition is a starter package for the company’s cloud gaming service, which plays titles by streaming them over a TV, mobile device, or online in Google’s Chrome browser.

The price cut means Google is no longer offering users a three-month trial to Stadia Pro – a subscription service with new monthly games. Gamers don’t actually need the hardware to use Stadia, as they can take advantage of hardware they already own, as long as it matches Google’s specifications for operation.

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Google is still offering one month of Stadia Pro for free, with the option to cancel. It costs $10 a month, The company also has a deal where a user can get $10 off the purchase of an initial game, if they decide not to go the Pro route. Stadia Pro isn’t required to play games, though it is needed to use features like 4K resolution.

The Premiere Edition comes with a Stadia controller and a Google Chromecast Ultra to connect to a TV. The controller comes in three colors: Clearly White, Just Black, and Wasabi.

Stadia was launched in November of last year and was a brand new idea for casual gaming – no rigs or consoles, and no games to install. Basically, it was engineered so a player could simply buy, play, and be gaming right away. The service has struggled with bugs, a small library, and difficult interfaces have plagued it.

Some of the system’s notable titles include Red Dead Redemption II, Doom Eternal, and Mortal Kombat 11. On June 16, Google announced it was adding The Elder Scrolls Online to its library.

While the service doesn’t currently work with the iPhone or other iOS devices, it is compatible with versions of the Pixel, Samsung phones, OnePlus devices, Asus ROG Phones, and Razers. These devices use touchscreen controls.

The Stadia controller is designed for TV play, while a keyboard and mouse works for the computer. Xbox and Playstation controllers can be connected to mobile devices through Bluetooth. A variety of third-party controllers, including Xbox and PlayStation gamepads, work with PC as well.

Google says an internet connection of at least 10Mbps is needed to run games smoothly at 720p, and 30Mbps for 4K, although users say they experienced a lag.

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