Google Stadia games reportedly won't be cheaper than PS4, Xbox One versions – CNET

You’ll need a speedy internet connection to use Google’s Stadia game streaming service when it launches in November, but that doesn’t mean the games will be cheaper. Stadia boss Phil Harrison reportedly revealed that they’ll cost the same as the counterparts on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One.

“I don’t know why it would be cheaper,” he told Eurogamer on Thursday.

“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,” he said. “In theory, the Stadia version of a game is going to be at the highest-possible quality of innovation and sophistication on the game engine side.”

Harrison didn’t tell Eurogamer exactly how much Stadia games will cost, noting that games’ publishers and developers “is in as much control of the price” as Google.

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Stadia will launch with 30 games, including major upcoming ones like Baldur’s Gate, Borderlands 3 and Doom Eternal.

You’ll have a few options in how to approach Stadia, with two not being available until 2020. The Base tier is free for any game you purchase via Stadia at up to 1080/60p in stereo (at 10Mb/s), while the $10 monthly Stadia Pro tier gets you 4K/60p HDR quality (at 35Mb/sec) with 5.1 surround sound, free games added to your library and discounts.

There’s only way to play it in 2019 — the Founder’s Edition $130 limited preorder offer gets you access in November, a limited-edition controller, a Chromecast Ultra streaming device, three months of Stadia Pro, Destiny 2, the first access to username creation — so you have avoid filling it with silly numbers — and a buddy pass that gives a friend 3 months to try Stadia Pro. 

You can also preorder a Stadia controller on its own for $69  now, but that’s mostly for people who’ve jumped on the Founder’s Edition or will have access via a buddy pass.

Google didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment on Harrison’s comments.

First published at 2:08 a.m. PT.
Updated at 3:10 a.m. PT: Adds more detail.