Google Stadia Games Will Likely Be Just As Expensive
Google Stadia games are going to cost less, right? You might've assumed that, given you won't own a physical copy and you're not downloading anything. Also, internet hiccups will disrupt your experience, and if you had dreams of playing somewhere without an internet connection period, it just won't happen.
Don't be so sure about all the money you'll be saving just yet.
Eurogamer had a squad at a Google press event in the UK, where Stadia head Phil Harrison answered some questions about his company's upcoming game streaming service. And when asked about pricing, and whether or not Google Stadia's storefront would charge less for its titles (based on all of the previously mentioned downsides), he responded pretty frankly.
"I don't know why it would be cheaper," Harrison said.
Well, that's news.
Harrison went on to talk about what made Stadia unique from platforms such as PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC.
"The value you get from the game on Stadia means you can play it on any screen in your life – TV, PC, laptop, tablet, phone," Harrison explained. "I think that is going to be valuable to players."
He's not off base. The promise of Google Stadia is that it'll unshackle you from the more annoying aspects of gaming in the 21st century. The huge downloads. The loading screens. The inability to take your games on the go (well, unless you have a Switch). Stadia wants you to start a game up instantly, enter that game's world without delay, and access that game and all of your progress across a number of different devices. And it seems Google believes all of those perks are beneficial enough that Stadia could easily charge the typical $60 for a game and feel justified.
But that remains to be seen. We imagine a lot of it will depend on how rapidly Stadia is adopted as a platform, and how players feel about this change in the way they own and play their games. Not only that, but according to Harrison, publishers will also have more of a say than Google will in what games cost. So while Google hopes Stadia will be viewed on an even plane next to PC and consoles, it's entirely possible publishers will price their games down to a more acceptable range if it's warranted.
We'll for sure have more news on Stadia as we draw closer to its Founder's launch in November, so stay tuned.