Google has just made a rash announcement, confirming that they are rushing more games to Google Stadia. Gaming icon, and Doritos Pope, Geoff Keighley broke the announcement via Twitter just a short while ago. He confirmed that the launch roster of Stadia titles had expanded by 10, bringing the games on the steaming service on day one to 22.
There’s a good mix of AAA, AA and indie titles on the roster for launch, but many gamers remain unconvinced. With the original launch roster of 12 games, the new titles offer a little breath of fresh air to an otherwise slim list. Several of these titles — games such as NBA 2K20, Final Fantasy XV and Rage 2 — had been slated to come out for the service in Decemeber or even in 2020. Hopefully Google didn’t rush the Stadia versions past QA to make these releases in the launch window. It’s a distinct possibility that Google cut some corners, but we will have to wait for confirmation on that.
Given that this announcement comes just two days before Stadia launches, the whole thing certainly feels like a hack job. This feeling is further bolstered by the lack of many key features from the streaming service on launch. Everything from multiplayer and family sharing, to glaring flaws in device compatibility, will be problematic for the launch this week. The addition of shaky marketing buzzwords also certainly hindered positive public opinion on this whole thing too.
The general consensus from this announcement, and the whole rollout of Stadia, is that the service is plagued by a variety of problems. While some portents of doom are predicted by some, not all the gamers and analysts are quick to dismiss Google Stadia out of hand. It’s vital to remember that the holiday season is well underway in the US and other major gaming markets. Getting the service up and running ahead of the December blitz is vital for Google to establish early awareness. Although judging by the meme-heavy response, the company certainly faces an uphill battle on that front.
What do you think of Stadia? Let us know in the comments.
