A free tier for Stadia cloud gaming coming in the 'next few months'
See what all the hubbub is about without spending any cash.
Stadia will be free soon.
Google gave some insight on when its cloud-gaming service will be available for free. Right now, Stadia users have to pay $129 for the Founder's Edition and $9.99 a month, but that will change soon.
Stadia boss Phil Harrison said in an interview with Protocol on Wednesday that the free tier of the service will come in the next few months. The no-cost option was always in the cards for Stadia in 2020 after it was first announced last March.
"The big strategic difference is that over the next few months you will be able to experience Stadia for free," Harrison told Protocol. "No money down, without having to put a box in your home, you can just click and play amazing games straight from our data center."
Stadia launched last November, and while the service works well enough, there has been an issue with the lack of games. A Reddit thread at the Stadia subreddit on Jan. 26 was filled with subscribers who are disappointed with the service and lack of communication from Google. The company did it plans to release 120 games in 2020, but only Monster Energy Supercross - The Official Videogame 3 has come out this year.
Originally published Feb. 6, 2:55 p.m. PT.
Update, 3:20 p.m. PT: Adds background details.