Google explains why some Stadia games aren't in 4K
To put it simply, it's on the developers to push the graphical limits of the service.
When will Stadia subscribers see true 4K?
Google Stadia launched on Nov. 19 after several months of hype. One thing early players noticed, however, is the lack of games available on the cloud gaming service with true 4K graphics. Google proclaimed the high-end resolution would be available right away, and it's apparently up to the developers to implement it.
A statement from the search engine company says Stadia gives developers the "freedom of how to achieve the best image quality and frame rate on Stadia."
"We expect that many developers can, and in most cases will, continue to improve their games on Stadia," Google said in a statement Sunday. "And because Stadia lives in our data centers, developers are able to innovate quickly while delivering even better experiences directly to you without the need for game patches or downloads."
So far, Destiny 2 and Red Dead Redemption 2 are the only games on the cloud gaming service that have 4K graphics although not "true" 4K. Both games upscale the 1080p resolution to make them appear to be 4K according to reports from The Verge and Eurogamer.
Stadia costs $9.99 a month. Subscribers can play purchased games on their TV with a Chromecast Ultra, on their Pixel phone or via a Chrome browser on their computer or laptop.
Originally published Nov. 25, 7:54 a.m. PT.
Update, 9:15 a.m. PT: Adds Google's statement.