Google responds to complaints of slow Stadia announcements Internet giant tells GamesIndustry.biz there will be more news on streaming service exclusives "soon"

James Batchelor UK Editor Thursday 30th January 2020 Share this article Share

Google has addressed concerns that it is not informing the initial Stadia userbase about future releases and upcoming features for the cloud gaming service.

Reports on various sites earlier this week pointed to frustration among the Stadia community, often citing a particular Reddit thread. The poster claimed it had been 40 days since Google had added or announced a new game for Stadia, with the bulk added around the launch 69 days ago (and the time of the post).

The post also complains of the lack of iOS support (and that the only Android phones supported are the Pixel models), family sharing, the subscription-less Stadia Base membership, or regular updates on the roadmap for these and other features.

Finally, there was reference to a stat Google revealed in its New Year update: that more than 120 games were coming to Stadia in 2020, with more than ten exclusives in the first half of the year.

A Google spokesperson told GamesIndustry.biz that the Stadia team has in fact been providing weekly updates on the Stadia Community forum, as well as monthly recaps on the Google Keyword blog.

They also addressed expectations surrounding the 120 titles.

"We understand the desire to hear more specifics on the games," the company told us. "After all, that is what it is about: the games. Of course, not all 120 titles will be announced by the Stadia team, as we leave it up to the publishers to make the announcement about their IP/games, and which platforms it will appear on -- just as we will do with the exclusive content coming to Stadia.

"There are a lot of reasons for the time of those game announcements -- anything from planned promotions or events, title readiness, proximity to first playable demo, shareholder requirements, etc. We continue to work closely with our publishing and developing partners and are here to support them in all areas. We are excited to share more about some of the exclusive games coming to Stadia soon."

Elsewhere in its New Year update, the Stadia Team has already promised that 4K resolution and wireless controller support when playing on browsers, support for additional Android phones, and extra Assistant functions are all expected to be implemented by the end of March.

Since the Reddit thread was first posted, Google has announced the two games Stadia Pro subscribers would be able claim in February -- a fact the original poster has acknowledged.

Subscribers will be able to add Gylt and Metro Exodus to their collections next month, bringing the total number of included games up to seven (if they claim Samurai Showdown and Rise of the Tomb Raider before January 31).

Stadia launched in November to a cautious reception with many critics claiming the cloud gaming service was still essentially a beta rather than a fully-fledged product.

People who bought the Founders Edition received three months subscription to Stadia Pro. With the renewal date approaching, Google is under pressure to convince players to sign up again.