We've known for some time now that Google Stadia would be launching in November, but a specific release date was unavailable until today. Google has finally confirmed the Stadia release date to be Tuesday, November 19. It's then when those who picked up the Founder's Edition of the streaming service will be able to start expecting their Stadia controller and Chromecast Ultra to arrive in the mail.
Google Stadia will become available to everyone else in early 2020, but those who pick up the Founder's Edition will get three free months of Stadia Pro (essentially the Stadia equivalent of Xbox Live Gold or PlayStation Plus). They will also get a Buddy Pass that lets them share their Stadia Pro subscription with a friend. Stadia Pro will get players roughly one free game per month, with the first being none other than Destiny 2: Shadowkeep.
While the Google Stadia release date has finally been announced, Google stopped short of revealing other important information about the streaming service, like a full list of launch titles. We know that Destiny 2: Shadowkeep will be a Stadia launch title, as will the blockbuster open world western game Red Dead Redemption 2. However, it's unclear what else will be joining Stadia's launch lineup.
Other possibilities include the looter-shooter Borderlands 3, which we know is in the works for Stadia. Another possibility is the stealth horror game Gylt, which is one of the only Stadia-exclusives that will be available around the game's launch.
As we get closer to the Google Stadia release date, we should learn more details about what to expect from the service at launch, including a full list of launch titles. And once Stadia is out, we'll discover if Google's ambitious cloud gaming platform lives up to the hype. Showings of Stadia at press events have been met with mostly positive reviews so far, but it remains to be seen how the public will react to Stadia.
One of Stadia's biggest hurdles to widespread adoption is the reality of data caps in the United States. Studies show that Stadia will destroy data cap limits, and so anyone living in an area where data caps are enforced won't be able to realistically try the new service.
Google Stadia launches on November 19.