Google has unveiled its new digital gaming platform branded Stadia, which it says will stream better-than-console-quality games that have traditionally had to be either downloaded or purchased on disc.

Phil Harrison, Vice President and GM at Google Stadia, explained: “Stadia is a new video game platform, delivering instant access to your favourite games on any type of screen—whether it’s  a TV, laptop, desktop, tablet or mobile phone. Our goal is to make those games available in resolutions up to 4K and 60 frames per second with HDR and surround sound. We’ll be launching later this year in select countries including the US, Canada, UK and much of Europe.”

“To build Stadia, we’ve thought deeply about what it means to be a gamer and worked to converge two distinct worlds: people who play video games and people who love watching them. Stadia will lift restrictions on the games we create and play—and the communities who enjoy them. Using our globally connected network of Google data centres, Stadia will free players from the limitations of traditional consoles and PCs.”

“When players use Stadia, they’ll be able to access their games at all times, and on virtually any screen. And developers will have access to nearly unlimited resources to create the games they’ve always dreamed of. It’s a powerful hardware stack combining server class GPU, CPU, memory and storage, and with the power of Google’s data centre infrastructure, Stadia can evolve as quickly as the imagination of game creators.”

Google also revealed a traditional looking joypad which acts as the link between the use and the platform. The joypad features a button allowing users to capture and publish their gaming clips directly to YouTube.

It was also announced that id Software’s first person shooter Doom Eternal will be one of the first games available on Stadia. Pricing has yet to be revealed – although a subscription model is expected.

Categories: Articles, Games