Google has revealed much more about its Stadia video game streaming service, including price, launch information, and a game lineup. You can get in on the ground floor by getting a Founder's Edition to launch this November. But if you do put down your money, what you can you expect right out of the box?
The Founder's Edition is the high-end version of the service and hardware rolled into one package, so if you purchase it you can expect the full functionality of the Stadia service. It will cost you $130, and it's already available for pre-order. Unlike a traditional console like Xbox or PlayStation, the Founder's Edition doesn't include a large hardware box. Instead, it will pack a relatively small Chromecast Ultra streaming dongle and a limited-edition Night Blue Stadia controller--both of which are regularly priced at $70.
Since Stadia is a streaming service, the real functionality comes through playing online. Right out of the box, the Stadia should be able to stream any game in its library, either through a direct purchase or through the three-month Stadia Pro subscription included in the Founder's bundle (regularly $10 per month). Stadia Pro allows you to stream at 4K and 60fps with 5.1 surround, and it includes a rotating library of free games. One of those games is Destiny 2, with all previous expansions and an annual pass to include the upcoming Shadowkeep expansion. If you've already started Destiny 2 elsewhere, you can import your character to Stadia.
A separate Stadia Base tier won't launch into 2020. That version will be able to play games at 1080p with stereo sound, and there is no subscription fee. You can just buy your games a la carte, similar to any other digital marketplace, and play them through the cloud. This can be done on any Chrome browser, and you can use most existing controllers or purchase a Stadia controller separately.
Any game in the Stadia launch library will be available to stream on day one. Google has already announced a partial list of its launch games, which you can see below. The company has suggested that more launch games will be announced at a later date, including some from Capcom, EA, and Rockstar.
For more on Google Stadia, check out our wrap-up of all the news out of the recent event.
We're now in Week 5 of Fortnite Season 9, which means there's a new set of challenges to complete and Battle Stars to earn in Epic's hit battle royale shooter. As usual, this week's tasks are divided up into two categories: those that are available to everyone, and a premium set reserved for players who've purchased a Season 9 Battle Pass, which runs for 950 V-Bucks (roughly $10).
As has been the trend this season, most of Week 5's challenges are fairly self-explanatory. In the free category, you'll have to deal damage to opponents with Grenades, Dynamite, or Stink Bombs; search seven chests either in Salty Springs or Frosty Flights; and eliminate an opponent in five different matches. All of these should be easy enough to complete with a little persistence.
Battle Pass holders will have to do a little more work. Their challenges involve placing a trap item in five different matches and racking up three eliminations at Sky Platforms. There's also a multi-stage challenge that first asks you to complete a lap at the desert race track, as well as one to visit five Wind Turbines in a single match. If you don't know where those can be found, we've put together a Wind Turbine locations guide.
Free
Deal damage to opponents with Grenades, Dynamite, or Stink Bombs (200) -- 5 Battle Stars
Search chests at Salty Springs or Frosty Flights (7) -- 5 Battle Stars
Eliminate an opponent in different matches (5) -- 10 Battle Stars
Premium
Stage 1: Complete a lap of the desert race track -- 1 Battle Star
Place trap items in different matches (5) -- 5 Battle Stars
Visit different Wind Turbines in a single match (5) -- 10 Battle Stars
Eliminations at Sky Platforms (3) -- 10 Battle Stars
Alongside Week 5's challenges, Epic has released Fortnite's 9.20 update. This week's patch introduces yet another new item to the game: the Storm Flip. As its name suggests, throwing it into a storm zone will create a temporary spherical pocket of safety, and vice versa--you can also throw it into a safe zone to create a storm zone. To make room for the Storm Flip, however, Epic has vaulted all hunting rifles. You can read more in the full patch notes on Epic's website.
Borderlands 3 is just a few months away, but fans of the looter-shooter franchise will have something to tide them over in the meantime. Just before E3, DLC for the seven-year-old Borderlands 2 has leaked and is likely to bridge the gap between Borderlands 2 and Borderlands 3, according to Game Informer.
Titled Commander Lillith and The Fight for Sanctuary, the DLC leaked via a Steam listing and is reported to launch on June 9, the same day as Microsoft's E3 presentation. The page has since been removed, as noted by Game Informer, but we managed to glean some information about the upcoming expansion. The listing said the DLC would be free and has Vault Hunters teaming up with Lilith and the Crimson Raiders to save Pandora. Check out the details below.
"Return to the award-winning shooter-looter for a new adventure that sets the stage for the upcoming Borderlands 3. Sanctuary is under siege, the Vault's map has been stolen and a toxic gas is poisoning Pandora. Fight new bosses, explore new zones, get new loot (including an entirely new tier beyond Legendary) and join up with Lilith and the Crimson Raiders to take on a deranged villain hell-bent on ruling the planet."
Lilith is the Siren in the original Borderlands. She's remained an NPC since her reintroduction in Borderlands 2, guiding Vault Hunters throughout the treacherous environments on Pandora. With her return in Borderlands 3, it's likely this DLC will have some connection between the events of Borderlands 2 and the adventure Vault Hunters will embark on this September.
Gearbox has been in hot water for a few months now. Last month, the original Claptrap voice actor levied some serious accusations against Pitchford, which includes a physical altercation at GDC back in 2017 and more. The Texas-based company has been in an ongoing legal battle with former general counsel Wade Callender over financial disputes, company information misuse, pornography, and more. Gearbox seems to be backing down for the lawsuit, retracting some claims and filing no grievances.
Borderlands 3 will land on PC, PS4, and Xbox One on September 13. It was confirmed that the upcoming looter-shooter will also launch on the Google Stadia day one as part of today's Stadia Connect Event, kicking off this year's E3.
By Anonymous on Jun 06, 2019 11:01 pm Larian Founder Swen Vincke breaks down all the hidden Easter eggs that you might have missed from the Baldur's Gate 3 Trailer.
The next chapter of Destiny 2 is seeing a whole lot of changes. There's a new content expansion called Shadowkeep, a new free-to-play version of the base game, and new cross-play support that lets you move your character around between (some) platforms. For PC players, the next chapter of Destiny 2 will take place on a new platform: Valve's Steam.
Bungie made the announcement ahead of E3 2019 during a livestream detailing all its plans for Destiny 2 going forward. Destiny 2 was previously only available on PC via Battle.net, Activision Blizzard's PC portal, when Activision published the game. But Bungie split with Activision earlier this year, and Tuesday marked the release of the Season of Opulence, the final piece of Destiny 2 content from that partnership.
Starting with the release of the Shadowkeep expansion on September 17, Destiny 2 will leave Battle.net and head to Steam. It will also support cross-saves on all platforms, which include PC, Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and Google's cloud-based Stadia platform. Bungie also laid out a new approach for how it'll sell Destiny 2 to players: each new content expansion, starting with Shadowkeep, will be standalone and sold a la carte. That means you'll be able to pick and choose which Destiny 2 expansions you buy, and you won't be required to own all previous expansions in order to get the new ones.
Bungie said in its press release for the new Destiny 2 changes that it wants to move away from segmenting its player base across separate platforms, which might explain why it picked the more dominant Steam as a home for Destiny 2. Then again, Bungie is doing away with all platform-exclusive content, so maybe it'll show up on the Epic store at some point in the future.
The next chapter of Destiny 2 is more than just another content expansion--it also includes a fundamental change to the way players get that content. Starting on September 17 with the release of Shadowkeep, the Destiny 2 base game will go free-to-play.
Bungie made the announcement Thursday on a livestream unveiling its fall expansion ahead of E3 2019, the first since its split with former publishing partner Activision. The free-to-play version of Destiny 2 is called Destiny 2: New Light, and it includes all of the Year One content for the game. That means the vanilla version of Destiny 2 with its original raid, plus its first two content expansions, Curse of Osiris and Warmind, are all part of the free package. (You'll still have to pay for the Forsaken expansion and the annual pass, which included three smaller content drops, that came after it.)
Here's Bungie's full description of the New Light from its press release:
"Destiny 2: New Light: Alongside Destiny 2: Shadowkeep comes a new way for players to enjoy the game. Destiny 2: New Light is a brand new entry point for newcomers that puts the worlds of Destiny 2--and all of its foundational modes, activities, and rewards--into the hands of every player, with no barrier to entry. With Destiny 2: New Light, anyone can play Destiny 2, and Destiny 2: Shadowkeep's a la carte model is the first example of how we're looking to deliver content to you in the future."
The press release also notes that Shadowkeep is a standalone expansion, meaning you won't need to own any past Destiny 2 content in order to play it. That's a big change from the model the game has previously used; each new expansion in Destiny 1 and Destiny 2 required players to own all previous expansion content as well.
The price of entry has likely turned a lot of lapsed players away from returning to the game. Bungie has tried to mitigate that fact over the last year, offering the Destiny 2 base game for free for a short time on PC and through PlayStation Plus. New Light and standalone expansions look to be a further development on the idea of making it easy for players to return to the game even if they miss some content along the way.
Bungie also announced that Destiny 2 will support cross-saves on all platforms beginning with Shadowkeep--Xbox One, PS4, PC, and Google's Stadia. It also marks the end of exclusive Destiny 2 content for certain platforms. Up until now, PlayStation 4 players have enjoyed additional weapons, missions, and multiplayer maps that haven't been available to other players, but Shadowkeep puts a stop to that. Bungie's press release said that all these changes are part of its initiative to make it possible to play Destiny 2 "anytime, anywhere."
Among the 30 games confirmed for Google, a few are brand-new titles. One title that's surprising to see is Darksiders Genesis, a new game in THQ's series about angels, demons, and the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse.
The first trailer for the game released today, showing the horseman Strife battling demons fromh a Diablo-like camera perspective. We're likely to get more details at THQ's E3 2019 panel, scheduled for Thursday, June 13 at 10:30 AM PT / 1:30 PM ET / 6:30 PM BST. That panel address the "the inception of the Darksiders universe and where it's headed next," while also touching on "a brand-new Darksiders game that takes the franchise in a fresh direction."
Hopefully, the new direction that Genesis is embarking on is a good one, as the last Darksiders game wasn't very well-received. In our Darksiders III review, Richard Wakeling wrote, "Darksiders 3 retrogrades on its predecessors with an unfocused approach that constantly clashes with itself. There are remnants of a good game here, buried within the vivacious combos of a combat style this game doesn't want to embrace. Unfortunately, it's buried far too deep to ever salvage."
Google Stadia lets you stream games from the cloud to your computer or TV. For $130 USD / £120, you can pre-order the Stadia Founder's Edition and get a limited-edition controller, Chromecast Ultra, a three-month subscription to Stadia Pro, and a three-month Buddy Pass for a friend to try Stadia Pro. The Founder's Edition will release in November 2019.
For $10 USD / £9 a month, Stadia Pro lets you stream games in 4K HDR at 60fps, and also provides access to a free library of games, a discount in Stadia's online store, and a limited-time Destiny 2 deal. If you don't want to invest that much money just yet, Stadia Base (which offers a cheaper 1080p at 60fps alternative) will release sometime in 2020.
In its pre-E3 2019 Stadia press conference, Google outlined some of the specifics for its cloud-based game streaming service. Stadia is up for pre-order now in the Founder's Edition, which comes with several exclusive goodies, like a specially colored controller and Chromecast Ultra.
Apart from the swapped location of the d-pad and left analog stick, Stadia's controller closely resembles a Switch Pro Controller in design, but it has two unique buttons. One allows you to seamlessly share gameplay, while the other activates the controller's microphone so you can ask Google Assistant a question. Chromecast Ultra allows you to stream Stadia directly to your TV via an HDMI port, as well as several other supported apps like Netflix and HBO Go. The technical specs for both the controller and Chromecast Ultra are outlined below.
Headset jack: 3.5mm headset jack for headsets with or without a microphone
USB: USB-C port for charging, wired gameplay, and accessories such as USB-C headsets. HID-compliant
Weight: 268g
Dimensions: 163mm x 105mm x 65mm
Google Assistant: Google Assistant button to trigger the microphone
Capture button: Quick access to image and video capture
Battery: Internal rechargeable Li-Ion battery
Chromecast Ultra Technical Specs
Dimensions: 2.29in (58.20 mm) x 0.53 in (13.70 mm) x 2.29 in (58.20 mm)
WeightDevice: 1.6 oz (47 g), Adapter: 3.5 oz (101 g)
Resolution: Supports all resolutions up to 4K Ultra HD and high dynamic range (HDR) for stunning picture quality
Wireless: 802.11ac (2.4GHz/5Ghz) 1x2 MISO Wi-Fi for high-performance streaming
Power: Power supply required and included
Ports & Connectors
HDMI plugs directly into the TV Micro-USB for power and data
Ethernet port on the power adapter for hard-to-reach Wi-Fi spots in your home
Supported Operating Systems
Android 4.2 and higher
iOS 9.1 and higher
macOS X 10.9 and higher
Windows 7 and higher
Requirements
TV with an HDMI port
Wi-Fi network or Ethernet
Wi-Fi-enabled supported device
The Stadia Founder's Edition costs $130 USD / £120 and also includes a three-month subscription to Stadia Pro and a three-month Buddy Pass for a friend to try Stadia Pro. Stadia Pro is a monthly fee of $10 USD / £9, allowing you to stream your games up to 4K HDR at 60fps. The subscription also provides access to a free library of games, a discount in Stadia's online store, and a limited-time Destiny 2 deal. Stadia Base offers a cheaper alternative to Pro but only supports up to 1080p at 60fps.
The Stadia Founder's Edition is scheduled to release in November 2019, while Stadia Base won't launch until 2020.
During its latest Stadia press conference, Google announced over 30 games will launch on the cloud-based gaming service on the first day. One of those games is Borderlands 3.
The long-awaited sequel to Borderlands 2 is scheduled to release for Xbox One, PS4, and PC on September 13. Though the initial trailer for the game was disappointing, our time with the game during a preview event met many of our expectations. Most notable is Gearbox's decision to take inspiration from other modern day shooters, like Titanfall 2, including the addition of sliding and climbing to implement both more speed and verticality to combat.
Stadia is Google's approach to cloud gaming, allowing users to stream their digital purchases via Wi-Fi to a computer or TV. A Stadia Founder's Edition is available for pre-order now, costing $130 USD / £120. This special edition comes with a limited-edition controller, Chromecast Ultra, a three-month subscription to Stadia Pro, and a three-month Buddy Pass to give to a friend so they can try Stadia Pro.
Chromecast Ultra allows you to stream Stadia (or many other apps, such as Netflix or HBO Go) through your TV via an HDMI port. Stadia Pro--normally a $10 USD / £9 a month fee--allows you to stream games in 4K HDR at 60fps (as opposed to Stadia Base which only goes up to 1080p at 60fps). The subscription also provides access to a free library of specific games and a discount on all titles in Stadia's store. There's also a limited-time Stadia Pro deal for Destiny 2.
Stadia Founder's Edition is currently scheduled to launch in November 2019. The free Stadia Base will not be available until sometime in 2020.
Destiny 2 is coming to Google Stadia in all its glory--and including all its content. A new version of the game called Destiny 2: The Collection is making its way to Google's cloud gaming platform, and it'll span everything that's appeared in Destiny 2, plus more content from its next chapter.
Google made the announcement as part of its Stadia Connect livestream, which ran down a bunch of details about the new platform and the games that'll be available on it. The new version of Destiny 2 will include all the content that's been in the game so far-- the base game, the Curse of Osiris and Warmind expansions from Year One, plus Forsaken and the annual pass content drops from Year Two.
Destiny 2: The Collection will also include Shadowkeep, the game's next expansion coming this fall. Shadowkeep details were previously leaked, but Stadia Connect included the first official look at the expansion, which will take players back to the Destiny 1 location of the moon.
You'll also be able to transfer your existing Destiny 2 character to Stadia from "any other platform," according to the stream--but it included a disclaimer that said save transfers from PlayStation 4 are pending approval from Sony.
Destiny 2: The Collection is part of the Stadia Pro subscription, which will run you $9.99 per month. You can also buy games piecemeal under the Stadia Base version of the platform, which doesn't include a subscription fee, but it won't launch until some time in 2020.
We've got a whole lot more Stadia coverage for you to read, including all the news from the first Stadia Connect.
Google has finally given lots more information about its upcoming streaming service, including a Google Stadia a release date, a price point, and further launch plans. Among the details was a list of launch games developers and publishers supporting Stadia, with notable names like Bethesda, Square Enix, and Ubisoft. One particularly eye-catching name on the list of developers is Rockstar.
Unlike most other listed studios, though, Rockstar's name doesn't include a mention of planned games. Instead, a footnote says that it will "announce content at their discretion." Only two other publishers share this footnote, EA and Capcom.
That leaves an open question as to just which games Rockstar plans to bring to Google Stadia. Red Dead Redemption 2 is a distinct possibility, as the studio's most recent release, but as of yet a PC version of that game hasn't been officially confirmed. Grand Theft Auto 5 would also make sense, given its availability on PC and its ongoing success. However, neither of those are confirmed, so we could be getting other games from the Rockstar catalog.
Google Stadia will launch in November, so whatever Rockstar has in store will need to be ready by then. That's when Google will release the Stadia Founder's Edition, which includes hardware in the form of a Chromecast with a controller, along with a three-month subscription to Stadia Pro. A separate Stadia Base tier, which allows a la carte game purchases at a lower resolution, will launch in 2020.
For more details on all the launch info released today, check out our Google Stadia roundup. And keep up with all the news coming out of E3 2019.
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