Cloud-based gaming platform Google Stadia is an alternative option for gamers who are looking to play some of the latest titles without forking out for a console or an expensive, custom-built gaming PC. The Stadia service lets you stream games directly from a remote server, meaning that you can play games on your TV, computer and – yes – your mobile phone.
As well as a free membership that offers access to individual games for purchase, Stadia also boasts a ‘Pro’ subscription service. Stadia Pro offers subscribers unlimited access to a growing library of selected games – and discounts on other games in the Stadia store – for a monthly fee of £8.99. The current Stadia Pro library includes (as of October 2020) games such as Destiny 2, Hitman and PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds – all of which are playable on mobile devices.
Stadia Pro is sure to become a more attractive prospect for gamers as the library gets bigger and the service moves more towards being a true ‘Netflix for games’ contender. It’s especially attractive for those gamers who want to play console-quality games on the go. However, it is facing stiff competition in the near future from two upcoming cloud gaming rivals – Microsoft’s ‘Project xCloud’ and Amazon’s Luna.
Unfortunately, Google Stadia isn’t yet available on every mobile device, though…
READ MORE: Google Stadia vs Amazon Luna – what are the differences?
Which phones support Google Stadia?
The following mobile phones support Google Stadia and allow you to stream games from the Stadia service:
- Pixel phones (from Pixel 2 onwards)
- Samsung S8, S8+, S8 Active, Note 8; S9, S9+, Note 9; S10, S10+, Note 10, Note 10+; S20, S20+, S20 Ultra
- OnePlus 5, 6, 7, 7 Pro, 7 Pro 5G, 8, 8 Pro, Nord
- OnePlus 5T, 6T, 7T, 7T Pro, 7T Pro 5G
- Asus ROG Phone, ROG Phone II, ROG Phone III
- Razer Phone, Razer Phone II
It’s perhaps unsurprising that Google’s Pixel phones are geared towards supporting its own cloud gaming service, but the list above still covers an impressive range of mobile devices. Google says that more phones will be added to the list over time, too.
However, one of the glaring omissions from the Stadia-compatible phone list is, you guessed it, the iPhone. In a recent statement to Business Insider, Apple confirmed that it won’t allow game streaming services such as Google Stadia on iOS. The reason? Well, the tech giant claims that these services are in violation of its own App Store policy.
An Apple spokesperson told the website: "Our customers enjoy great apps and games from millions of developers, and gaming services can absolutely launch on the App Store as long as they follow the same set of guidelines applicable to all developers including submitting games individually for review and appearing in charts and search.”
Of course, there’s also the not-insignificant fact that Google Stadia would essentially be a competitor to the Apple Arcade gaming subscription service, which the company is currently trying to push. Basically, don’t expect to be playing Stadia games on iPhone any time soon.
READ MORE: Here’s how to stream games onto your phone via Project xCloud