(ThyBlackMan.com) You don’t necessarily need Google Stadia Controller to play games on Stadia game streaming service. The controller, however, makes the whole experience much better. You probably already know that Google is all set to launch its new game streaming service called Stadia, which will arrive this year in Canada, Europe, the United States, and the United Kingdom. Google also unveiled a game controller. So how does Google Stadia Controller work? What interesting tricks Stadia Controller can do? Let’s find out.
As mentioned above, you can play games on Stadia without Stadia Controller, but Google wants to give you a more convenient way to play games on its streaming service. Stadia Controller takes you beyond device pairing so you can play games on all the screens without having to synchronize your controller with each of them. For example, you are playing a game on your laptop and later you want to play it on your TV screen. In such cases, you won’t need to connect your Stadia Controller to the new display.
To reduce latency delay, Google has chosen a smart way to connect your controller with its data centers directly. Instead of connecting to a specific display, the Stadia Controller directly connects to your Wi-Fi and then Google’s data centers. This approach helps Google reduce input lag as the controller will be connected through a companion mobile app which will likely work as a bridge between the controller and Google’s streaming service.
In the demo shown by Google, the Stadia Controller appears to be a high-quality gamepad. It features thumbsticks similar to the Sony PlayStation’s Dualshock 4 controller and also accommodates separate buttons for Google’s Voice Assistant and video capturing. On the top of the controller, you will see a USB-C port, and on the bottom, there’s a 3.5mm headphone jack. The dedicated voice assistant button lets you watch video tutorials of the game you’re playing. Google is using its video-sharing platform YouTube for this purpose. So, when you jump into YouTube from Stadia Controller, you can start playing the game exactly from the particular moment you’re watching on YouTube.
For example, if you’re watching your favorite YouTuber playing a game, you can start playing the same game exactly from the point you see on the screen. We didn’t get a lot of details on how it works exactly, but the idea sounds pretty interesting. At the end of the day, it’s all about how the pricing model works, but as far as the functionality of the Google Stadia Controller is concerned, the device appears to justify its presence.
The capture button on the Stadia Controller lets you take screenshots and record your gameplay. This captured media can later be shared with friends on YouTube and other platforms. This is not a unique feature, because many of the currently available gamepads allow you to do the same. What you’ll miss on other game controllers but will find on Google Stadia Controller is the voice assistant button. This button lets you interact with Google’s virtual voice assistant so that you can use voice commands to access in-game features and other options on Stadia service.
At a glance, you may find the Stadia Controller looking like a mix of a PS4 and Xbox One controller. The rounded edges and grips feel soft. The control buttons are located exactly where you find them on other game controllers. The joystick is also placed strategically which makes the controller look like a redesigned version of the Dualshock 4, but the other features make it look unique and great.
Google has also put the Konami Code at the bottom of the Stadia Controller. The company has not confirmed whether the code will be placed on the retail version of the controller because, during the demo, the controller which was given for testing was not carrying this code.
We still don’t know whether Google Stadia Controller will be a part of the subscription bundle or it will be sold separately. We are also waiting for official information on the price of the Stadia Controller and we hope that Google will answer these questions soon. The best thing about the controller is that Google has not made it a necessary device for Stadia. The streaming service will support other controllers as well.
Staff Writer; Corey Shaw
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