The latest Stadia Connect presentation – and the first for this year – has just dropped on the platform’s YouTube channel, bringing with it some much-needed news about content and the future. The first big surprise was the presentation’s format, which was pre-recorded in advance in contrast to the previous Connects. This is most likely due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic worldwide and the social isolation precautions most people are taking.
That’s not the only thing worth noting, though, as Google managed to actually garner some significant interest with these updates to their Stadia platform. Without further ado, let’s dive into the latest Stadia Connect below, followed by a recap of everything announced with this presentation.
Following a short introduction from Stadia lead Phil Harrison, he recapped the countries able to experience Stadia Pro for free for two months. If you reside in one of these launch countries, you can grab two months of Stadia Pro for free, granting you access to some corresponding free games as well as some of the higher-end features of the service.
- Belgium
- Finland
- Canada
- Denmark
- France
- Germany
- Ireland
- Italy
- Netherlands
- Norway
- Spain
- Sweden
- United Kingdom
- USA
Harrison also noted that pre-existing Stadia Pro members will also get the free two months, further extending their subscriptions to the service. All Stadia Pro members can get the following games for free on the service:
- GRID
- Destiny 2: The Collection
- Spitlings
- Stacks on Stacks (on Stacks)
- Serious Sam Collection
- SteamWorld Quest: Hand of Gilgamech
- SteamWorld Dig 2
- GYLT
- Thumper
Harrison then announced a major partnership with one of the gaming industry’s biggest publishers. Stadia will be bringing five games from Electronic Arts to the platform, starting with the acclaimed Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, which is set to release this fall. It will be followed by two big sports titles, Madden NFL and FIFA, with their release windows set for winter. The two unannounced titles are the real mysteries, both of which should be solved with the next Connect presentations in the future.
More game announcements soon followed. These comprised new titles set to release on Stadia, with some even bearing the hallmark ‘First on Stadia’. These should make up for the current drought of exclusives the platform is experiencing, although it remains to be seen if these will be enough to draw players in.
Doom Eternal
This one is a no-brainer, and Google wasted no time in flaunting it. Doom Eternal was initially delayed from its November release which coincided with Stadia’s launch, which unfortunately led to the latter missing out on a massive AAA title to go with it. For Stadia players who held out on buying it on other platforms, Doom Eternal is now available to buy and play on Stadia. Check out the game’s launch trailer below.
Octopath Traveler
Square Enix manages to surprise everyone yet again, this time with a very unlikely release of a critically-acclaimed JRPG on the Stadia. First launched on the Switch in 2018, followed by a Steam release in 2019, Octopath Traveler is now available to buy and play on Google Stadia. Check out a trailer for the game below.
This release for the Stadia is one that I honestly see as a win for the platform. Taking latency into account, turn-based games are supposed to shine on Stadia due to their less demanding nature when it comes to input lag. Hopefully the team realizes this and starts capitalizing on it more in the future.
Rock of Ages 3
First announced back at Gamescom last year, Modus Games’ Rock of Ages 3 was revealed to also be heading to Stadia in addition to the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch and PC. The announcement also came with a much more definite release window, as Rock of Ages 3 is set to be launched across these platforms sometime in June. Check out a trailer for Rock of Ages 3 below.
Free Stadia Pro games in May: SteamWorld Heist, The Turing Test and Zombie Army 4: Dead War
To go along with that neat two months’ worth of free subscription to Stadia Pro, members will also get three new free titles in May – SteamWorld Heist, The Turing Test and Zombie Army 4: Dead War. Rebellion’s Zombie Army 4 will also get a new campaign mission add-on coming to the Stadia Store soon. This new mission is called Blood Count, which is a Hell Cult mission. No definite date has been given for the add-on, but players can expect the three free games to be claimable immediately on May 1.
First on Stadia – Crayta
In lieu of exclusives for this Connect, Stadia took to flaunting new titles which will launch on the platform first. The first of these is Crayta, a so-called “collaborative game creation and publishing platform.” In shorter and easier to understand terms, it’s Stadia’s answer to the PlayStation 4’s Dreams, albeit with the function that allows players to make their own designs with others as a group effort. Check out this intriguing new title in a trailer below.
The games created on Crayta are also multiplayer in nature, allowing players of all ages, abilities, and backgrounds to come together and experience their creations at the same time. Crayta is set to be released for the Stadia later this summer, and will be free for Stadia Pro members.
First on Stadia – Wave Break
Another First on Stadia title comes in the form of Wave Break¸ an arcade skateboarding game set on beaches and waters. It’s widely inspired by 1980s Miami Vice beaches, from its electronic music to its fabulous art direction. The game can be played both in single player and multiplayer, and will be made available on Stadia later this summer. Check out a trailer for Wave Break below.
First on Stadia – Embr
Embr is another First on Stadia title that’s built more on cooperative and light-hearted play. It lets its players live out their dreams of being a firefighter, albeit in a colorful and wacky manner along with other players. Embr will launch in an Early Access state on May 21, and will include Stadia’s Stream Connect feature. Check out Embr’s announcement trailer below.
First on Stadia – Get Packed
The last of the First on Stadia titles announced is Get Packed, a co-op casual title that perfectly simulates the chaos of packing and moving. With modes such as Campaign, Versus, and Destruction, up to four players can join in on the fun to help the town of Ditchlington move their belongings. Get Packed is now available to buy and play on Stadia, and you can check out a trailer for it below.
PUBG on Stadia
The presentation saved the best for last, as the Connect closed on a pretty big announcement. As of today, the hit battle royale title PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds, commonly referred to as PUBG, is now available on Stadia. Stadia Pro members can claim the Pioneer Edition for free starting today, which includes the base game, the recent Cold Front Survivor Pass, and a Stadia-exclusive skin set. Check out the release trailer for PUBG on Stadia below.
This version of PUBG also supports cross-play with consoles, meaning that you can jump in straight to the action without fear of a relatively small player base. You can find out more about PUBG on Stadia here.
