Google Stadia Pro is now available free for 2 months
Subscription service currently offers access to nine games
Google has made its Stadia Pro subscription service free to everyone for two months.
New users who sign up will get two months free and can choose to cancel their subscription (normally $9.99/£8.99 per month) at any time, while existing subscribers won’t be charged for the same period.
Stadia Pro offers 4K/HDR streaming with 5.1 surround sound and approximately one free game per month.
Free games currently available include Spitlings, Serious Sam Collection, Stacks On Stacks (On Stacks), Destiny 2, Grid, Gylt, SteamWorld Quest and SteamWorld Dig 2.
“We’re facing some of the most challenging times in recent memory. Keeping social distance is vital, but staying home for long periods can be difficult and feel isolating,” said Stadia GM Phil Harrison.
“Video games can be a valuable way to socialize with friends and family when you’re stuck at home, so we’re giving gamers in 14 countries free access to Stadia for two months. This is starting today and rolling out over the next 48 hours.”
How to access Stadia free
“With increased demand due to more people at home during this time, we’re taking a responsible approach to internet traffic,” Harrison added. “For Stadia, we’ve always adjusted bandwidth use based on a variety of in-home and local internet factors.
“To reduce load on the internet further, we’re working toward a temporary feature that changes the default screen resolution from 4k to 1080p. The vast majority of people on a desktop or laptop won’t notice a significant drop in gameplay quality, but you can choose your data usage options in the Stadia app.”
PlayStation recently confirmed it has slowed download speeds in the US and Europe in a bid to reduce demand caused by people staying at home due to the coronavirus pandemic.
And in order to accommodate record Xbox Live usage, Microsoft recently adjusted some service features, such as disabling custom gamerpic uploads and scheduling the release of game updates during off-peak hours.