As a response to the current coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and the social distancing that's currently in place, Google has announced that the Pro subscription for its game streaming service, Stadia, is free for everyone for the next two months. And not only that, according to Eurogamer, the basic version of Stadia is also now available permanently, for free, to anyone that owns a Gmail address.
"We're facing some of the most challenging times in recent memory," says the blog post. "Keeping social distance is vital, but staying home for long periods can be difficult and feel isolating. Video games can be a valuable way to socialise with friends and family when you're stuck at home, so 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."
The announcement relating to the free Stadia Pro offer was made via Twitter and the aim (like others before them) is to help make staying at home much more bearable. And if you already subscribe to a Stadia Pro subscription, don't worry: you'll be getting the next two months for free.
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"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. If you're already a paid Stadia Pro subscriber, we won't charge you for the next two months. After that, Stadia Pro is $9.99 a month, but you can opt out of your subscription at any time."
If you're new to Stadia, all you need to do is head over to the website and sign up. You can then play on your desktop PC, laptop, or Android or iOS tablet by downloading the app. You'll need a decent internet connection to use Stadia - optimally, a download speed of at least 10mbps and an upload of 1mbp - but once you're set up, you can then use a USB-supported controller or a mouse or keyboard to play. You can find out more on the blog post here.
Stadia didn't get off to a great start when it launched in November 2019, so you may have not really given any thought to using the service. But now that's it's essentially free for the next couple of months, it seems like a great time to jump on board and see for yourself.
Featured Image Credit: GoogleTopics: Stadia