We recommend products and services based on unbiased research from our editorial team. We make money via affiliate links, which means if you click a link on our site, we may earn a commission. Any commissions we receive do not affect our recommendations; if you want to know more about how that works, read more.
Google Stadia Review
Google Stadia launched as Google’s cloud gaming bet, but the service was discontinued on January 18, 2023; the Stadia store and game libraries are offline.
While it was active, Stadia let you stream games over the internet to Chrome, Chromecast Ultra, and supported phones at up to 4K with HDR. Its final model offered a free tier to buy games à la carte and a Stadia Pro subscription at $9.99/month (historical pricing); both ended with the shutdown. Google also processed refunds for Stadia hardware and Stadia Store game/add-on purchases and stopped future billing during the wind-down (official update).
Stadia’s exclusives picture evolved over time. Most titles once billed as exclusive or “Stadia First” later launched elsewhere — for example, Gylt released on consoles and PC — while a small number never left Stadia and are now unplayable after shutdown (notably Outcasters and PixelJunk Raiders). By the time the service ended, the catalog had grown to roughly 278 games, but none are available today.
Stadia Premiere Edition bundles and subscriptions are no longer sold; there is no Base or Pro service today (Stadia shutdown FAQ).
Google Stadia Overview
| Price | $130 (includes 3 months of Stadia Pro subscription — $10/month after that) |
| Free trial | 90 days w/ Stadia Premiere Edition |
| Number of games | 28 |
| Compatible with | Google Pixel Phones, Chrome Web Browser, Chromecast Ultra, MacOS, Linux, Windows |
| Controller colors | Night Blue, Wasabi, Clearly White, Just Black |
| Parent controls | ✔ |
| Offline play | ✗ |
How We Evaluated Google Stadia
We previously tested Stadia hands-on across devices, fact-checked features, and reviewed public feedback; this update reflects Google’s shutdown plan and final closure announced by Google.
We took Stadia on the go across multiple devices, played solo and tried to connect with friends, and compared it to systems we already owned. In analyzing Google Stadia, we considered content breadth, setup and ease of use, and how the system fit into casual and dedicated play — and we now provide that context as a historical evaluation.
We evaluated Stadia Pro and the Premiere Edition; the promised roadmap (more exclusives and a broader free tier) was ultimately overtaken by Google’s decision to discontinue the service and shut it down.
Play (mostly) anywhere
Stadia’s biggest draw was its flexibility: when it was active, you could start a session on a TV, laptop, or phone without owning a console. Since the service is now offline, that flexibility no longer applies, but it helped set expectations for today’s cloud services.
Players could sign into Stadia via the Chrome browser or a Chromecast Ultra and use mouse-and-keyboard controls or compatible Bluetooth controllers. iOS users couldn’t play natively at the time; Apple has since updated its App Store policies to permit dedicated game-streaming apps, which benefits current competitors (App Store Review Guidelines). These sign-in paths no longer work now that Stadia is shut down.
The one catch — you needed an internet connection to do any of this. Because Stadia streamed every frame from the cloud and had no downloads or discs, offline play was never supported. As a rule of thumb for modern services, plan for roughly 15–25 Mbps per 4K stream and 5–8 Mbps for HD, depending on the platform and title (Netflix) (Disney+) (YouTube).
Impressive games
Although early coverage focused on a small lineup, Stadia’s library expanded steadily and, by shutdown, reached approximately 278 playable titles. Today there is no live catalog because the service is discontinued (Stadia shutdown FAQ).
Screenshot from “Destiny 2” captured during our original testing; Stadia is now offline.
Stadia’s most-noted early exclusive, Gylt, later released on consoles and PC; PAC-MAN Mega Tunnel Battle: Chomp Champs returned in 2024 across multiple platforms. A few games remained stranded and became unplayable when Stadia closed, notably Outcasters and PixelJunk Raiders.
We should note that Stadia Pro offered a rotating selection of claimable games while subscribed alongside an à la carte store — but both tiers ended with the shutdown announced by Google.
Relatively low starting costs
There is no current pricing because Stadia no longer operates. For historical context, Stadia Pro cost $9.99/month in the U.S., and a free tier let you buy games individually (launch-era details).
During the wind-down, Google stopped future billing, generally did not refund prior Stadia Pro fees, and issued refunds for Stadia hardware (purchased from the Google Store) and for games and add-ons bought from the Stadia Store (official plan) (shutdown day recap).
If you want cloud gaming today, consider active alternatives: NVIDIA GeForce NOW Ultimate (high-fidelity, up to 4K/120 and high frame rates), Xbox Cloud Gaming via Game Pass Ultimate (broad device reach, including smart TVs), or PlayStation Plus Premium streaming (stream select PS5 titles to PS5, up to 4K).
High-resolution streaming
Stadia supported high-resolution streaming (up to 4K HDR on compatible displays), though reports from developers questioned how often games rendered at true 4K internally.
Real-world stream quality depends heavily on connection quality. As general guidance in 2025, major platforms suggest roughly 5–8 Mbps for HD and about 15–25+ Mbps for 4K, with more headroom for fast-action content (Netflix) (Disney+) (YouTube).
A screenshot of our Chrome experience with “Destiny 2” during testing.
One of the more unexpected results we found during testing was that visual quality was noticeably better when playing through the Chromecast than it was when playing through a Chrome browser. Textures felt smooth and lighting looked dynamic on our TV, but washed-out and jagged on Chrome (issues our testers didn’t have when playing games installed on that PC).
Stadia controller and captures
The Stadia controller felt like a minimalist blend of Xbox and PlayStation designs. While Stadia has shut down, Google released an official utility to permanently enable Bluetooth mode so the controller can be used as a standard Bluetooth gamepad with other devices.
The Stadia controller used WiFi to connect to your TV when playing via the Chromecast Ultra. Note that you’d have to use the Google Home app to set up the Chromecast, which meant initial setup required a lot of downloading and syncing. To use the Stadia Controller when playing via app or Google Chrome on a compatible phone or computer, you had to plug the controller in with a USB connection. Today, the practical path is to switch the controller to Bluetooth mode and pair it with your preferred device using Google’s tool.
One of the features on the controller was a dedicated capture button that saved screenshots and clips to your Stadia account. That feature depended on Stadia’s back end and is no longer available now that the service is offline (shutdown FAQ).
We captured this via the Stadia app during testing; capture viewing/downloading through Stadia is no longer available.
No cross-platform play
At the time, Stadia offered limited cross-platform play across titles, which meant smaller multiplayer pools and longer matchmaking in games like Destiny 2. Cross-play has since become widely supported across the industry — for example, Destiny 2 added full cross-play in 2021 (Bungie guide) — but Stadia itself is now offline.
The upside Stadia aimed for — friends jumping in together across different devices in the same room — has largely carried forward to today’s cloud services and cross-play ecosystems, but it no longer applies to Stadia specifically.
Google Stadia FAQ
Can I play Google Stadia in Hawaii?
No. Stadia is unavailable everywhere because Google shut the service down on January 18, 2023 (shutdown FAQ).
Does Google Stadia work on the iPhone?
No. Stadia no longer works on any device because the platform has been discontinued (details). Note that Apple now permits native cloud-gaming apps on iOS, a change that arrived after Stadia’s closure (App Store Review Guidelines).
The Bottom Line
Google Stadia has been discontinued: there is no free tier, no subscriptions, and no game catalog to access. If you own a Stadia Controller, use Google’s tool to enable Bluetooth mode so it works with other devices (official utility). For cloud gaming today, look to active services such as GeForce NOW Ultimate, Xbox Cloud Gaming (Game Pass Ultimate), or PlayStation Plus Premium streaming, which offer broader catalogs and more mature tech.
Recently Added
