The Google Stadia streaming service for games launched to a somewhat mixed response last year, and while what it's doing is definitely interesting, it hasn't really caught on yet.
A lot of this is due to the fact that most people who like games already have access to most of what Stadia is offering, making it a very hard sell indeed to anyone who has to worry about money (read: all of us).
Well, it seems as though Google would like to entice more people into investing in Stadia, and to do that, they've made the decision to let people sign up to Stadia Pro and get two free months. You can then, apparently, opt out of the service whenever you'd like.
How to get free Google Stadia
The whole thing is detailed in a Google blog post from Phil Harrison, the vice president and GM of Google Stadia. It's not just the temporary free period that was discussed either, but the issues that the company is facing in light of everything going on at present.
It starts off with the details on the free period: "we’re giving gamers in 14 countries free access to Stadia Pro for two months. This is starting today and rolling out over the next 48 hours."
"Anyone who signs up will get two free months of Stadia Pro with instant access to nine games, including GRID, Destiny 2: The Collection, and Thumper. You can purchase even more games on the store, which will remain yours to play even if you cancel your Stadia Pro subscription."
To sign up for the Stadia free trial, you just need to click here and follow the instructions on the screen.
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Which devices can use Google Stadia?
Joining Stadia will let you play some games for free on a variety of devices, using the processing power of Google's data centres in tandem with your local internet connection.
You can use Stadia on any laptop or PC with the Google Chrome browser, or on any TV that has a Google Chromecast Ultra attached. It also works on select phones and tablets.
The full list of devices that do and do not support Stadia - including a list of controllers that work with Stadia - can be found at this link.
Read more: Google Stadia review, four months on from launch
What about current Stadia customers?
Google is also giving current Stadia Pro subscribers two months off of paying, which is a nice touch to keep those already loyal to the service the same benefits as somebody who has never used it.
There is going to be a little bit of compromise though, as they're expecting an uptick in people using both the service and the internet in general.
Read more: Can a 'Netflix for games' service work?
"With increased demand due to more people at home during this time, we’re taking a responsible approach to internet traffic. 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."
It's important to keep in mind that streaming takes a huge chunk of bandwidth, so, unlike in online gaming, this is probably a good step to helping reduce the load on servers everywhere. The whole thing is certainly a nice gesture, but if you do sign up and don't like it, do remember to cancel your subscription.
Read more: Why so many developers snubbed Stadia