Google’s game streaming service, Stadia is launching on November 19 in 14 countries.
The service will need you to play games over Wi-Fi on your Pixel smartphone and will not run on 4G.
The Pixel 2, 3, 3a and 4 family of smartphones will run Stadia at launch.
As the launch date for Stadia creeps closer, more details about the game streaming service have emerged. New information tells us that you will need to connect to the internet over Wi-Fi, even on Pixel smartphones to play games. Rick Osterloh, SVP, Devices & Services, Google in an interview on the Vergecast said, “It’s just going to run on Wi-Fi to start.” Google told 9 to 5 Google that the reason for this is because they are “focused on making sure Stadia Founders receive the best possible experience at launch over a WiFi connection”.
Google has said that that a 10Mbps connection is enough to run the game at 720p 60fps. For 1080p gaming at 60fps with 5.1 sound, it recommends a speed of 20Mbps. For 4K gaming at 60fps with 5.1 sound, Google recommends a speed of 35Mbps. Since a stable connection is required to enjoy the games, it makes sense that Google is limiting the service to Wi-Fi at first.
If you plan to use Stadia on your Pixel smartphone, then know that the service will run on the Pixel 2, 2XL, Pixel 3, 3XL, Pixel 3a, 3aXL and the newly launched Pixel 4 and 4XL which aren't coming to India. To run Stadia on the smartphone you will need a Stadia Controller, DualShock 4, Xbox One Controller or any other compatible controller.
If you plan to use the Stadia controller with your smartphone then know that Google has confirmed that gamers will only be able to use the Stadia Controller wirelessly with the Chromecast Ultra. If you plan on using the service on your Pixel smartphone, laptop or PC, you will have to connect the controller using a USB cable. You can read more about the reasoning for a physical connection here.
We also have an in-depth FAQ elaborating on everything you need to know about Google Stadia. You can check that out here.
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Sameer Mitha
Sameer Mitha lives for gaming and technology is his muse. When he isn’t busy playing with gadgets or video games he delves into the world of fantasy novels. View Full Profile
