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Today, Google unveiled its Stadia cloud gaming platform, showing a bold but largely untested vision of the future of gaming that involves the distribution and playback of real-time software on Internet. We still do not know much about how Stadia works, how much it costs, how it works, how it will work as a Netflix-like subscription service for consumers, if it will use a different business model or it will be released later this year. . But we We got our hands on the custom controller built by Google, the only physical element in the Stadia package.
Surprisingly, the Stadia controller feels and looks great. Certainly we could not try it during a live demonstration of Stadia, but we could use the same white and orange model that was used on stage during the concert. It has a texture and texture similar to those of recent Xbox One game controllers, especially one that was released with the new Xbox One S design, but with Sony's DualShock 4 controller layout.
It has a USB-C port at the top, a 3.5mm headphone jack at the bottom and dedicated buttons to trigger voice functions using the Google Assistant and capture a video of your game. A nod to the game's culture, the controller's images on the Google website show that the Konami code sequence may be a barcode label placed at the bottom of the device , under the headphone jack. You can even type the necessary commands on the Stadia website to display a 3D model of the controller that you can inspect in your browser window. The controller we tried at the GDC did not have the code, so it's not clear if the commercial version will feature it or if it's a fun Easter egg.
In an impressive live demo, Google introduced a feature that allowed you to use the Joystick Wizard button to launch a YouTube tutorial showing you how to overcome the obstacle or problem that is causing you trouble at this point in the game. The controller is also used to launch games that you can find on YouTube's live streaming platform, so you can immediately start playing a title that your favorite streamer is playing at that time. .
According to Phil Harrison, former executive of Sony and Xbox and current vice president of Google, the controller connects directly to Google's data centers – rather than to any specific screen you could use – you have not so no need to resynchronize, for example. , your laptop when you stop playing on the TV. In an interview with The edgeHarrison says that you will pair it with the Studia network using an associated mobile application, which will first connect the controller to your local Wi-Fi network and then to Google's Stadia service.
We do not know how much the controller will cost, or whether it will be associated with a Stadia plan. (Assuming there is some subscription plan, which is not yet clear.) But it does not seem like Google is skimping on this controller, which is a good sign for those who feared that it was cheaper, cheaper. high-quality controller compared to devices shipped with Microsoft and Sony consoles.
And if you do not want to use this controller, you do not have to: According to Harrison, the service will also support the other joysticks. It seems that the integration of Google Assistant is the only thing you are missing.
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