Google will be letting users try both its Stadia streaming platform and the games that are available on it following its launch.
That’s according to VP and head of product John Justice, who told StadiaCast that these trials won’t be rolling out immediately, but they are “high” on Google’s post-launch to-do-list. Stadia is set to launch in 14 countries, including the UK, USA and Canada in November.
"It'll be a few months until they actually go out, I don't know that I've mentioned this to anyone yet, so you might be the first. We will be adding trials," said Justice
"We're just working through what's the right when and how exactly to set it up and you can imagine how busy things are now just getting ready for launch. So, there's the launch stuff, and then there's OK, what do we want to do next, next and next after? And trials are something that's high up on the list."
The trials are aimed at both existing and non-existing customers, making it available to as many people as possible.
Justice continued: "I think if you look at our plan to make as many people be able to try this as possible, you want people, whether they're already on Stadia, to let them go and discover new games, new things, stuff you haven't tried."
"And then also people who if you haven't given it a try, we want to let you jump in just as easily as you can, so I think both of those things are trials that we want to support."
Cross-progression
On top of plans for a free trial, Justice said that the Stadia team is working on cross-progression as well as cross-platform play. Google wants to bring cross-progression to all titles on its platform.
"We are trying to do [cross-progression] with every single title we're bringing to Stadia. That's something that we see as a key piece of next-gen," said Justice
"We're trying to push that next-gen is all about openness, it's about being able to play across your friend groups. It's about taking down these walled gardens. It's about being able to keep your progression wherever it is you are."
However, this venture has hit some resistance, not all game platforms are willing to use cross-platform, and those that are will only do so with specific titles.
When Google announced some new tech at its GDC keynote earlier this year, it failed to answer basic questions about Stadia. In the wake of the reveal event, PCGamesInsider.biz took a look at the team that is working on the search giant’s games streaming platform. The company has confirmed that its subscription service cost $9.99, with a list of games that are coming to the platform.
