Google plans to offer free Stadia platform trials post-launch

Google plans to offer free Stadia platform and software trials “a few months” after the cloud gaming service’s November 2019 launch.

Speaking to StadiaCast in a video interview, Google VP and Stadia head of product John Justice said the platform holder views free trials as a “high priority” feature.

“It’ll be a few months until they actually go out,” he said. “I don’t know that I’ve mentioned this to anyone yet, so you might be the first. We will be adding trials.

“We’re just working through what’s the right when and how exactly to set it up and you can imagine how busy things are now just getting ready for launch.

“So, there’s the launch stuff and then there’s OK, what do we want to do next, next and next after? And trials are something that’s high up on the list.”

Asked if he was talking about Stadia platform trials for non-customers, or software trials for existing customers, Justice said: “Both really because I think if you look at our plan to make as many people be able to try this as possible, you want people, whether they’re already on Stadia, to let them go and discover new games, new things, stuff you haven’t tried.

“And then also people who if you haven’t given it a try, we want to let you jump in just as easily as you can, so I think both of those things are trials that we want to support.”

Elsewhere in the interview, Justice said Google wants all Stadia games to support cross-play and cross-progression.

Google Stadia will launch in November 2019 with over 30 games available to purchase on day one.