Google Stadia how much does the subscription cost and what is the price of the games ?

In November 2019, Google will launch its new cloud gaming service with « Stadia » on the web. This platform dedicated to video games requires a monthly subscription (free or paid) and allows you to play games without even owning home consoles and without even needing a war machine (PC) to run the biggest games. 

However, you will need a good internet connection to enjoy it. If you live in the countryside and do not have a decent internet connection, you can immediately forget about « Stadia » which will not allow you to properly stream your games. As a reminder, to play with Google Stadia you must also use the Chrome web browser. If you are interested by the service and you know that your internet connection will follow, we suggest you to find below the different types of subscriptions offered by Google’s teams for Stadia.

☆ Note – In all cases and regardless of the subscription you choose for Google’s cloud gaming platform, you will need to purchase your games to play. These purchased games do not belong to you, it’s like renting, more explanations here : Is it possible for Google Stadia to download its games and play without an internet connection ?

Which subscription to choose for Google Stadia, what are the differences between « base » and « pro » ?

The « Stadia Base » subscription allows you to access the service free of charge. After buying a game, you can enjoy it on a compatible device via the chrome browser while enjoying a resolution of up to 1080p if your internet connection allows it. However, when Google’s « cloud gaming » platform is launched, the « Stadia Base » offer will not be available… This free package will arrive in the course of 2020. Similarly, no games will be offered with this package, unlike the paid subscription.

→ In short for the basic version :

• Resolution: up to 1080p 
• Frame rate: 60 FPS
• Sound: stereo
• No games offered and no discounts on the price of the games in the catalogue

The « Stadia Pro » subscription costs 10$ (€9.99 or 10£) per month and allows the user to enjoy a 4K HDR display at 60 frames per second with 5.1 surround sound if his internet connection allows it. Without fiber, you will never reach this data with Stadia, keep it in a corner of your mind. The « paid » monthly subscription also allows players to enjoy free games as we can found on the Sony / Microsoft side with PlayStation Plus and Xbox Live Gold. In addition, games may be cheaper with the « Stadia Pro » subscription since Google offers exclusive discounts on the prices displayed.

→ In short for the pro version :

• Resolution: up to 4K 
• Frame rate: 60 FPS
• Sound: 5.1 surround
• Free games like PS+ and Xbox Live.
• Exclusive discounts on the purchase of games.

For those who fully support the concept, Google teams offer to reserve a pack called « Stadia Founder Edition » which is available for 129$ (129€ or 129£). This pack includes Stadia’s official limited edition « Night Blue » controller, a Chromecast Ultra for playing on a TV for example and a 3-month subscription to the « Stadia Pro » service. By buying the founder pack you even have the possibility to reserve your « nickname » as a player before everyone else.

As for the price of video games in Stadia’s catalogue. This data is not yet known, but the prices charged should be quite similar to other platforms such as PS4 and Xbox One for example. Nevertheless, Google has certified that the price of a game will change according to its release date.