Stadia was a cloud gaming service created and managed by Google. It was first tested in a closed beta in October 2018 and officially launched in November 2019. The service could be used on devices such as Chromecast Ultra and Android TV, personal computers with the Google Chrome web browser and other Chromium-based browsers, Chromebooks and tablets running ChromeOS, and the Stadia mobile app on supported Android devices. There was also an experimental mode that allowed some Android devices to use the Stadia mobile app. In December 2020, Google released an iOS browser-based progressive web application for Stadia, letting users play games in the Safari browser.
Stadia streamed video games from Google's data centers at up to 4K resolution and 60 frames per second, with support for high-dynamic-range (HDR) video. Users could buy games from its store or play free-to-play games. The basic service was free and allowed streaming up to 1080p resolution, while a Stadia Pro monthly subscription provided access to 4K resolution, 5.1 surround sound, HDR, and a collection of free games that stayed in a user's library as long as the subscription was active. Both free and paid users could play online multiplayer games without extra costs. Stadia was connected to YouTube, and its "state share" feature allowed players to start a supported game from a saved state shared by another player using a link. The service supported Google's Stadia game controller and other controllers connected via USB or Bluetooth.
Stadia competed with other cloud gaming services, such as Sony's PlayStation Plus cloud streaming, Nvidia's GeForce Now, Amazon's Luna, and Microsoft's Xbox Cloud Gaming. At first, reviewers had mixed opinions about Stadia, often criticizing its limited game selection and missing features. Google originally planned to create its own games but stopped this in February 2021, closing its studios. The service continued to sell third-party games and offered its streaming technology as a white-label product. In September 2022, Google announced that Stadia would shut down, and the service ended permanently on January 18, 2023. Google refunded customers who bought hardware from its store and software from the Stadia store. A software update was provided for the Stadia controller to enable Bluetooth connectivity for use on computers, phones, tablets, and game consoles. The deadline for using the website and Bluetooth support tool for the controller ended on December 31, 2025.
Features
Stadia was a cloud gaming service that required an Internet connection and a device running Chromium or a special app. It built on YouTube's ability to stream media, as game streaming was seen as a way to expand on watching live video game streams, according to Google's Phil Harrison. The name "Stadia," from the Latin word for "stadium," showed that the service offered a variety of entertainment options, which users could watch or play. Google had many data centers worldwide, which helped Stadia perform better than earlier services like OnLive, PlayStation Now, and Gaikai. Most users would be near a data center, making the service faster. Players could start games without downloading content to their devices. They could also record or stream their gameplay to YouTube without extra tools. Viewers of these streams could launch the same game directly from the stream they were watching.
Stadia introduced new features based on its streaming model. Stream Connect let players see their friends' perspectives in a game as picture-in-picture inserts during cooperative play. This feature first appeared with the game Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Breakpoint. The streaming technology allowed more players to join a game server at once. For example, Grid servers usually had 16 players, but the Stadia version supported up to 40.
Stadia could use any standard USB controller, but Google made its own controller. It connected directly to Google's data centers via Wi-Fi to reduce input delays. Google also tested ways to predict user input to minimize lag between controller actions and game responses. During a 2019 presentation, Google said the controller would include Google Assistant, which could search YouTube for game-related videos.
Stadia had two service levels: a free version (called "Stadia Base" until April 2020) and a paid monthly subscription called Stadia Pro. The free version limited video quality to 1080p. The Pro tier, costing about $10 per month, allowed higher resolution (up to 4K), access to a growing library of free games, and discounts on other games.
Publisher-specific subscriptions were also available. For example, Ubisoft offered its Uplay Plus service (now Ubisoft+) to Stadia users.
Starting in April 2020, new Stadia users could try Stadia Pro for free for a limited time. They could keep any games purchased during this period even if they later returned to the free version. Initially, new users got two months of Pro access, but this was reduced to one month in June 2020.
Stadia required users to buy games for the service, though some games were free to play. Pro subscribers could claim a growing list of free games, which remained available as long as their subscription was active. At launch in June 2019, Google announced that Gylt and Get Packed would be exclusive to Stadia for a limited time. The service started with 22 games, added 4 more in December 2019, and had over 130 games by the end of 2020.
In January 2020, Google planned to release over 120 games for Stadia in 2020, including 10 timed exclusives. It also claimed more than 100 games would arrive in 2021. By December 2020, Ubisoft's subscription service, Ubisoft+, was available on Stadia, letting users play all Ubisoft games on the platform.
On January 13, 2023, five days before its shutdown, Stadia released Worm Game, a simple version of snake used for testing. It was Stadia's only first-party game and final release. The game had campaign, arcade, and multiplayer modes. It was not meant for public release and had basic graphics and a looping chiptune soundtrack.
Stadia's cloud hardware used a custom Intel x86 processor running at 2.7 GHz, with 9.5 MB of L2+L3 cache. It had a custom AMD GPU based on the Vega architecture with HBM2 memory, 56 compute units, and 10.7 teraFLOPS of power. The service used solid-state storage and 16 GB of RAM (supporting up to 484 GB/s bandwidth) shared between the GPU and CPU.
Google's Stadia controller had two thumbsticks, a directional pad, four main face buttons, two sets of shoulder buttons, and five extra buttons. It could connect via USB or Wi-Fi to Google's servers, reducing input lag. The controller came in three colors: "Clearly White," "Just Black," and "Wasabi." A limited "Midnight Blue" version was included in the "Founder's Edition" bundle.
Google made prototypes in other colors and gave transparent versions to Stadia developers. The controller had a Bluetooth Low Energy radio, but it was disabled at first. A web tool released in January 2023 let users enable Bluetooth, allowing the controller to work with computers and other devices. The deadline to switch from Wi-Fi to Bluetooth was extended to December 31, 2025.
Stadia used Linux servers and the Vulkan graphics API.
— Dov Zimring, Stadia Developer Platform Lead
In November 2020, Google announced a web-based version of Stadia for iOS devices. It ran in Chrome or Safari browsers to avoid Apple's restrictions on apps that stream games directly. This approach was similar to GeForce Now.
At the 2021 Consumer Electronics Show, Google said some LG smart TVs would include a Stadia Smart TV app.
History and development
Project Stream was Google's first public announcement about creating video game services. Before this, Google had been reported to work on a project called Project Yeti since at least 2016. The company also hired Phil Harrison, a well-known person in the gaming industry, and invited game developers to join events in 2018. Project Stream was different from earlier services like OnLive, GeForce Now, and PlayStation Now because it could run in any Chrome browser on a computer without needing extra software. The service used AMD Radeon graphics technology. Inside Google, the project was tested using the game Doom from 2016 to show it could work well over the internet.
Google announced Project Stream in October 2018 and invited people to try it with the game Assassin's Creed Odyssey. Players who met internet speed requirements could play the game in their Chrome browsers. Those who participated received a free copy of the game on Ubisoft Connect when the test ended. Stadia, Google's full game streaming service, was officially introduced in March 2019 during a speech at the Game Developers Conference.
At the same time, Google created the Stadia Games and Entertainment division in March 2019, led by Jade Raymond, an experienced industry professional. This group focused on making games specifically for Stadia. The first studio was opened in Montreal in October 2019. In December 2019, the division bought Typhoon Studios to create more content for the platform. A second studio in Los Angeles was opened in March 2020, led by Shannon Studstill, a former leader at Santa Monica Studio.
Google closed the Stadia Games and Entertainment division on February 1, 2021. This also led to the closure of Typhoon Studios. The decision followed changes in Stadia's goals for game development and delivery. Phil Harrison said the move aimed to make the platform easier for third-party developers to use, stating, "We believe this is the best path to building Stadia into a long-term, sustainable business that helps grow the industry." The shutdown affected about 150 employees, including Raymond, who left Google that day. Some reports suggested the closure might have been influenced by poor sales of Cyberpunk 2077 on Stadia, while others linked it to Microsoft's plan to buy ZeniMax Media in 2020.
According to reports from Bloomberg News and Wired, Google had not fully supported game development and focused more on the technology behind Stadia. Despite spending millions to bring major games like Red Dead Redemption 2 to the service and hiring Jade Raymond to create exclusive content, Stadia did not meet its user or revenue goals. Typhoon Studios' founders said Google lacked the financial or corporate backing needed for high-end game development. Many planned games, including a sequel to Journey to the Savage Planet, projects by Hideo Kojima and Yu Suzuki, and a multiplayer game by Francois Pelland, were canceled. Some games, like The Quarry and High on Life, were later released by other companies.
In May 2021, six key people from Stadia left Google, including John Justice, the vice-president of Stadia, and others who joined Raymond's new studio, Haven. During the Epic Games v. Apple trial, Epic's CEO said Stadia had been "very significantly scaled back" since its launch. Google claimed Stadia was still active and planned to expand in 2021.
To attract more developers, Stadia introduced a new revenue-sharing plan in July 2021. For games sold on the platform until 2023, Stadia would take only 15% of the revenue, up to $3 million. After that, the rate would return to the industry standard of about 30%. Stadia would also share 70% of Stadia Pro membership fees with games starting in July 2021, based on how much users played. Developers could also earn money by getting new users to sign up for Stadia Pro.
In October 2021, Google began selling Stadia's technology as a white-label product called "Immersive Stream for Games." This technology was used to let AT&T customers play a free version of Batman: Arkham Knight and allowed Capcom to offer a free demo of Resident Evil Village in 2022. Stadia was also added to LG televisions with WebOS 5.0 or later. In February 2022, Google said it would focus more on playable experiences and online demos instead of full games, calling Stadia "demoted." That same month, Google announced 100 new games would come to Stadia in 2022 and hinted at new features.
In February 2021, some Chromebooks began shipping with Stadia pre-installed.
On September 29, 2022, Google announced it would shut down Stadia, saying it had not gained enough users. The service officially closed on January 18, 2023, and Google refunded all purchases made through its stores. The technology behind Stadia was to be used in other Google projects, but in March 2023, reports said Google had stopped offering the white-label service. Google's Jack Buser said, "We are not offering that streaming option, because it was tied to Stadia itself."
Availability and promotions
Stadia began on November 19, 2019, in 14 countries: Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and the United States. The "Founder's Edition" bundle, which could be pre-ordered for US$129 before the service launched, included: a Chromecast Ultra; a limited-edition "Midnight Blue" Stadia controller; three months of Pro service; an additional three months of Pro service to give to a friend; a Founder's badge next to their user name; and first access to register a user name. After the Founder's Edition bundles were sold out, Google introduced a "Premiere Edition" bundle for US$129, which included a Chromecast Ultra, a "Clearly White" Stadia controller, and a three-month subscription to the Pro tier. At launch, Stadia was only available through the subscription-only Pro tier.
The service expanded to several Samsung Galaxy, Razer Phone, and ASUS ROG Phone devices in February 2020, after being available only on Google Pixel devices for months following its launch.
In March 2020, Google sent promotional emails to owners of Chromecast Ultra devices offering three months of Stadia Pro for free. The next month, while many people were staying home during the COVID-19 pandemic, Google launched a free version of Stadia, making it available to anyone in eligible countries with a valid Google account. Two-month Pro subscriptions were given for free to all new and existing platform users.
Starting in June 2020, Stadia became accessible on OnePlus's 5, 6, and 7 series phones, and access could be enabled on other Android phones and tablets with Android 6 and above as an "experimental" feature. At the same time, touch controls were made available as an alternative to using a supported controller for touchscreen Android devices. That same month, the "Premiere Edition" bundle was reduced in price to US$99.
In November 2020, Google ran two promotions where they gave away free "Premiere Edition" bundles. The first, starting on November 10, offered bundles for free to YouTube Premium subscribers in the US and the UK who had subscribed before November 6. The promotion ended two days later in the US after all available bundles were given out. The second promotion, which coincided with Stadia's first anniversary on November 19, offered free bundles to users who purchased a copy of Cyberpunk 2077 on Stadia. Google ended the promotion early on December 10 in Canada and on December 13 in all other regions after all bundles were distributed. In March 2021, Google announced a Stadia promotion in anticipation of the release of Resident Evil Village. The promotion offered a free Stadia Premiere kit after purchasing either the Standard or Deluxe Editions of the game. All Stadia Pro members received access to a free edition of Resident Evil 7 Gold Edition.
In December 2020, Stadia expanded to eight new European markets: Austria, Czechia, Hungary, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, and Switzerland. In June 2021, Stadia launched on most Android TV devices, including the Chromecast with Google TV, the Nvidia Shield TV, and other smart TVs with Android TV support.
Reception
During its beta phase, the service received mostly positive feedback from reviewers, who believed it met or even surpassed expectations and could be a good option for people who play games on computers. Ars Technica noted that the login process for Project Stream was easier than that of other services. However, some small problems and technical issues were still reported.
Reviewers found the streaming service had low latency, making games feel as if they were being played on a local device. However, depending on Wi-Fi speed, games sometimes lowered their screen resolution or experienced delays. A test by The Verge found no lag issues when using a wired Ethernet connection but occasional delays on shared Wi-Fi. Even with a wired connection, the stream did not reach 4K resolution and sometimes showed blurry images from compression. The best experience was reported on Google's Pixelbook. Polygon noted that the service's audio compression was noticeable. Digital Foundry tested Assassin's Creed Odyssey on a Pixelbook during the beta and found acceptable latency but a noticeable drop in visual quality. They also said Assassin's Creed Odyssey was not ideal for testing because it did not run at 60 frames per second.
Stadia received mixed reviews when it launched, according to Metacritic. Wired Magazine described the image quality as dull but said they preferred playing Destiny 2 on a Chromebook over a larger gaming laptop. VentureBeat criticized Stadia's pricing model, comparing it unfavorably to services like Xbox Game Pass and saying Stadia "doesn't matter." Digital Foundry found that not all games ran at 4K resolution: Red Dead Redemption 2 ran at 1440p, and Destiny 2 ran at 1080p (though with a higher frame rate than console versions). They also noted that games like Red Dead Redemption 2 had trouble maintaining a steady 60 frames per second. A test on Chromecast showed only 30 FPS, while a test on the Chrome browser showed unstable 60 FPS that dropped often. The Guardian gave Stadia three stars out of five, praising its technical performance but criticizing its limited game selection, which included only one exclusive title. Ars Technica said, "Early adopters feel like they're getting a beta product here. Wait until next year to see if Google can fix the problems and prove the service's value." S&P Global Market Intelligence reported that analysts and early users were unimpressed with the service's initial game lineup and lack of promoted features. Dieter Bohn from The Verge said, "I have tested it enough to say this is a beta product, and Google should have labeled it as such and launched it differently. Even in the best conditions, this isn't the best."
By late January 2020, Stadia users were worried about Google's lack of updates about the service, aside from monthly free game announcements. They were concerned about planned features that were months away but not discussed further, such as support for 4K streaming. A Google community manager acknowledged users' concerns and said more news was coming soon. Google directed users to its Stadia community site for weekly updates on feature progress and said publishers would announce when new games would be available.
Cyberpunk 2077 had a difficult launch on older consoles like the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, which struggled with performance issues, bugs, and delayed downloads. Players using Stadia experienced fewer crashes and a smoother overall experience.
Cancelled games
The following games were planned for Stadia but were not available on Stadia because the service ended in 2023. Each of these games was later released on other platforms.