The Google Stadia Pro subscription platform won’t be be the Netflix-style free-for-all some people are expecting. It won’t even provide as many titles as the console makers’ subscription services.
The forthcoming game streaming service, which will work on a wide range of devices, could only offer paying customers one free game per month.
According to the director of product for Stadia, Andrey Doronichev, the Pro tier will be more like Xbox Live and PlayStation Plus in the freebies it offers subscribers. The subscription will be more focused on the other benefits, like access to 4K/HDR streaming.
In a Reddit AMA (via 9to5Google), he said: “To be clear, Stadia Pro is not ‘Netflix for Games’ like some people have mentioned, a closer comparison would be like Xbox Live Gold or Playstation Plus.
“The Pro subscribers get 4K/HDR streaming, 5.1 sound, exclusive discounts and access to some free games. Roughly one free game per month give or take. Starting with Destiny 2 (yay!).”
Related: Xbox 2 vs Google Stadia
While it’s great to know Destiny 2 will be the first free game available via the platform, one free game a month sounds a little tight-fisted for a platform that’s looking to build equity among gamers. It’s also disappointing that the Stadia support pages promise an “ever-expanding library of free games,” giving the impression there’ll be more than 12 a year.
Xbox Live and PSP subscribers traditionally get at least two free games a month with their subscription. Meanwhile, Microsoft continues to grow out the Xbox Game Pass subscription service, which offers buffet-style access to almost 350 games, as well as early beta access to new titles. The company is also bundling the subscription with Xbox Live for the Game Pass Ultimate service, which costs $14.99 a month.
Google will charge $9.99 a month for Stadia pro, when the service launches in the UK, US, Europe and Canada in November this year.
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Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
