Your Google Stadia controller might not be useless after January

Google’s recent announcement Stadia is closing down in January was hardly a surprise, but it did leave us with a host of questions.

Namely, what are console gamers going to do with those Stadia controllers that only offer wired or Wi-Fi connections? Other than, you know, recycle the plastic?

Many called for Google to unlock the Bluetooth radio and, at least, allow gamers to use the Stadia controller for other services and on other devices. Now we’ve got confirmation Google is considering it. A Reddit reader approached Stadia support for clarification and received a positive reply.

“We have received many requests about making the Stadia controller work on Bluetooth or other features that can make Stadia workable after the full shut down,” read the response (via Chrome Unboxed). “I will send this feedback to our team so that they can check this out and possibly release a firmware to make it work.”

Hopefully, Google follows through. Firstly, for environmental reasons, but secondly, it’s always good to have another controller on hand. And why waste what our reviewer Ryan Jones called a “robust pad with familiar inputs, design and feel” in his review of Stadia almost three years ago. Back when there was promise.

Google announced it was shutting down Stadia last week after admitting the service hadn’t “gained the traction with users that we expected”. Google is refunding all users software and hardware purchases before the service closes for good on January 18.

Information on how to access those refunds is coming soon, the company says. Meanwhile, we’re already seeing some of the games that launched on the service coming to other platforms. Launch title Gylt, for example, will launch on other platforms next year.