It would definitely have helped. The number of games isn't massive, but I don't think that's a huge deal - it'll be more of an issue for its long-term success if they don't have a much broader catalog by the time the 'standard' access is opened. At that point, I'm sure they'll make a few games (certainly at least some first-party) available as free, or offer a limited trial on some games, to get people to try the system - even there, they're gaining their primary goal, which is collected data.
Still, a large amount of bad press was guaranteed for 3 reasons. First, it's Google, and they're a perennial target; second, it's a fairly publicized launch of what has historically been an unsuccessful delivery model; and third, possibly more significant, global gaming revenues are expected to have exceeded $150 Billion in 2019[/I], so it wouldn't be unimaginable for the key players in that industry that don't yet have a competing delivery service to take public and clandestine efforts to keep Google from gaining traction and potentially being a Tesla to their fossil fuel industry.
I agree - not a chance - they don't even need to be massively successful in terms of market share given the size of the industry to make a direct profit, and the potential if they actually do gain sizable share in what is the apparent evolution of gaming platforms is staggering. Regardless, they will also be getting huge amounts of data from what has to be a high value target audience.
Performance for me has been very good so far on browser and TV (though not fantastic on Pixel 3 XL), but I expect nearly every performance complaint levied against Stadia will be quickly voided once 5G is fairly widespread and matured.
Agreed they should have launched it with some free to play demos not just 2 free games. There is definitely a lot of things they could have done differently and setting the expectation should of been prioritize. Regardless I'm excited and I'm enjoying the fact that I can play mortal Kombat 11 since I'm a huge fan of the series and own ever mk game except mk11 until now because I held off on 11 since they announced it on stadia. Since I was going to order Stadia I decided to wait to buy it here instead.
Last night I was playing the story mode and got to chapter 2 (via my TV). Then around 10 pm I went to my room lay in bed to start relaxing as I typically do watching Netflix and typically I shut everything off at midnight then go to sleep. Well this time I brought up the stadia controller and my pixel 4 xl and continued playing while sitting/laying in bed with some pillows behind my back to support me and another pillow on top of my lap to hold the phone facing me while I continued playing mk 11 where I left off. I don't have the claw yet so it's a bit more complicated when it comes to playing on the phone, but the point is I can see this type of convenience and mobility being awesome.
As for controllers if I could find a Nintendo switch style controller that supports Stadia that that would be the dream because I could hold the phone at a much more comfortable position. I know there are a few Nintendo switch Bluetooth like controllers, but currently Bluetooth is not supported on the pixel and you need to be tethered in from the controller to the phone. I've tested with an Xbox controller via micro USB to type c on my phone, PC, pixelbook prior to my Stadia controller arriving yesterday and it worked great.
If anyone knows of any Nintendo switch like controllers that support Stadia please let me know.
As for my experience so far it's been great, I'll say there has been a little bit of stutter here and there but so minimal and it reminds me of consoles or PC games where every once in a while regardless of how powerful your PC is or console where you still get a little stutter every once in a blue moon. Stadia definitely occurred more often, but not often enough to **** me off. Also, of course this will improve over time and I invested in this with the mind set that I'm a beta tester and there will be some hiccups. For me this is okay because I knew that from the start.
I will say I have not yet played multi player so the lag there could be different (with exception of destiny 2 which I've tried), but so far streaming in story mode on MK and the game being a fast pace fighting game it ran great. I also tried Destiny 2 and samurai shodown and they both ran pretty good. Destiny 2 had a few more hiccups than samurai S and MK 11 but still ran great for me for the most part. That is the only game I have tried via multi player so far.
I don't think Stadia is for the super hardcore gamer especially the hardcore multi player gamer, I mean definitely playable but it's still wayyyyy in the early stages. However, for someone like me the more casual gamer, someone who will enjoy playing on the go and with my son once in a while this is freaking amazing.
I hope Google allows us to side load games on devices like the pixel 4, pixelbook sometime in the future similar to the Nintendo switch, this would allow us to side load some of our favorite games (not a lot at once due to storage obviously) but a couple where we could play the single player locally without an internet connection. Then once you get online your progress should sync. That would be the dream for me since I travel sometimes and would love to game while flying.
Sorry for the he Gramma/typos, but I wrote this quickly while working from my phone.
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram