Google Stadia intends to offer a streaming service for video games, but those who pay for a subscription will only receive roughly one free game a month. The original promotional material for Google Stadia presented it as a service that many believed could become the Netflix for video games, but later information has proven that association to be false.
Doronichev emphasized that the Pro service won’t be “all you can eat,” but that for $10 a month, subscribers will get some serious benefits. “To be clear, Stadia Pro is not ‘Netflix for Games’ like some people have mentioned,” he said. “A closer comparison would be like Xbox Live Gold or PlayStation Plus. The Pro subscribers get 4K/HDR streaming, 5.1 sound, exclusive discounts and access to some free games. Roughly one free game per month give or take. Starting with Destiny 2.”
Users of the base plan won’t get the discounts or games, as expected. “But hey, Stadia Base gives you free access to the state-of-the-art gaming hardware in our datacenter,” said Doronichev. “You spend your money to buy games you want.”
