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The Google Stadia (opens in new tab) free version has gone live today, and everybody who signs up will get to start with two complimentary months of Stadia Pro and its selection of free games.
Stadia Pro’s lineup of free games currently includes Destiny 2: The Collection, as well as the complete catalog of SteamWorld titles (opens in new tab).
Google Stadia general manager Phil Harrison made the announcement on Stadia’s official blog (opens in new tab), where he confirmed that the free service is currently rolling out to 14 countries over the next 48 hours. If you already have a Stadia Pro subscription, Google will give you the next two months for free.
Stadia is a game streaming service that uses Google cloud technology to let you play games without dedicated hardware. Early adopters needed to purchase a special pack that included a Chromecast Ultra and Stadia controller to start playing, but now you’re free to use any supported hardware (opens in new tab) to start playing. Currently that includes Chromecasts on TV, the Chrome browser on PC, or a dedicated app on Pixel phones and certain other Android devices (opens in new tab).
Though the free service is meant to help out folks who are social distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic, Stadia is also making some temporary changes to ensure it’s a responsible internet user. You may notice that your default screen resolution drops down to 1080p while playing in the future – if you want to go back you can always change your data usage options in the app.
It sounds like the free Stadia Pro trial will roll you right into a paid membership of $9.99/£8.99 a month after your trial ends, so don’t forget to opt out (opens in new tab) if you prefer.
See what else is on the way this year with our guide to the best upcoming games (opens in new tab) of 2020.
