Google Has Added 10 More Stadia Games in Time for Launch

As recently as last week, Google’s position was that it would launch Stadia with a carefully curated list of just 12 games. The list did include some big names like Destiny 2, Red Dead Redemption 2, and Mortal Kombat 11, but it’s not just about the quality. Gamers on any other platform have their pick of many more titles, so Google is changing course. It has almost doubled the number of launch games, adding ten more titles to the lineup just in time for public availability.

Here’s the full list of Stadia launch titles, newly added games in bold. The new games fill in some gaps in the store, but we’re still only talking about 22 titles total.

Assassin’s Creed Odyssey
Destiny 2: The Collection
GYLT
Just Dance 2020
Kine
Mortal Kombat 11
Red Dead Redemption 2
Rise of the Tomb Raider
SAMURAI SHODOWN
Shadow of the Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition
Thumper
Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition
Attack on Titan: Final Battle 2
Farming Simulator 2019
Final Fantasy XV
Football Manager 2020
Grid 2019
Metro Exodus
NBA 2K20
Rage 2
Trials Rising
Wolfenstein: Youngblood

Notably, some of the new launch games are of the “simulation” variety. While our experience with Stadia’s performance was very positive, it’s always possible the service will struggle to keep up with the flood of new users on launch day. A simulation game will play fine even if Stadia lag a few frames. The shooters on the platform won’t be so forgiving, and there are several more of those in the new batch.

Some of the new games were not slated for launch until 2020, based on Google’s rough timeline last week. Google’s Phil Harrison suggests that’s because Google was too conservative in its estimates and its partners managed to add Stadia support sooner than expected. Although, that’s not the sort of turnaround that happens in the space of a few days. More likely, Google saw the response to its scant initial offerings and opted to do away with its artificially drawn-out release schedule.

All 22 Stadia launch titles are available for purchase today. Almost none of them were available during our review period. Currently, Stadia is only open to those who ordered the Founder’s Edition kit, but some of those won’t ship until later this month or early next. Founders all get three months of Stadia Pro, but you don’t lose access to games when that expires. You can still play Stadia at 1080p or upgrade to a Pro subscription for $10 per month.

Continue reading

Chromebooks Gain Market Share as Education Goes Online

Chromebook sales have exploded in the pandemic, with sales up 90 percent and future growth expected. This poses some challenges to companies like Microsoft.

Scientists Confirm the Presence of Water on the Moon

Scientists have confirmed the discovery of molecular water on the moon. Is there any of it in a form we can use? That's less clear.

Review: The Oculus Quest 2 Could Be the Tipping Point for VR Mass Adoption

The Oculus Quest 2 is now available, and it's an improvement over the original in every way that matters. And yet, it's $100 less expensive than the last release. Having spent some time with the Quest 2, I believe we might look back on it as the headset that finally made VR accessible to mainstream consumers.

Samsung, Stanford Built a 10,000 PPI Display That Could Revolutionize VR, AR

Ask anyone who has spent more than a few minutes inside a VR headset, and they'll mention the screen door effect. This could eliminate it for good.