Google Stadia Base, The Free Non-Subscription Version, Releases Next Year

During the company's pre-E3 2019 Stadia press conference, Google revealed the subscription model version of its cloud-based game streaming service will launch later this year through the Founder's Edition. For those not ready to subscribe to Stadia Pro, a free alternative called Stadia Base will also be available--but it isn't being released until 2020.

Stadia Base is the basic version of the service. You don't have to pay any fees to use it. The games themselves still cost money and are purchased individually, but with Stadia Base you can stream the games to your PC, TV, or mobile device for free. With Stadia Base, you'll be able to stream games up to 1080p at 60fps. Google did not provide a more specific timeframe for Stadia Base's release beyond 2020, though, so it's unknown exactly how much longer we'll have to wait for it.

A much more specific release date was provided for the version of the service that does cost money, Stadia Pro. Stadia Pro will be launching as part of the Stadia Founder's Edition, which is currently scheduled to release in November 2019. Stadia Pro costs $10 USD / £9 a month, but that subscription comes with a few goodies. For one, you'll be able to stream games--which you still have to purchase--at up to 4K HDR and 60fps. You'll also gain access to a select collection of free games and receive a discount on titles in Stadia's online store--starting with the roster of over 30 games available on Stadia at the service's launch. Stadia Pro also comes with the complete version of Destiny 2, including the brand-new Shadowkeep expansion.

If you think you might go for Stadia Pro, you may want to consider pre-ordering the Founder's Edition. Costing $130 USD / £120, the Founder's Edition includes a three-month subscription to Stadia Pro, a Buddy Pass for you to gift Stadia Pro to a friend for three months, an exclusive Stadia controller you can't buy anywhere else, and a Chromecast Ultra (allowing you to stream Stadia to your TV via an HDMI port).