The release of a new gaming platform is massively dependent on the games it launches with, ask anyone. The Nintendo Switch, for example, had the advantage of launching with the massively-anticipated The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. The N64 had Super Mario 64. The Xbox 360 had... um... let's move on.
A console can go on to either fail or ultimately succeed in spite of the games it releases with, of course. But that launch period is still a crucial factor in convincing people that they want to pump their hard-earned cash into whatever new platform is being sold.
With that in mind, has Google done enough to make its upcoming Google Stadia streaming service an attractive prospect at launch? Read on and decide for yourself.
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Google Stadia finally arrives on November 19, and the tech giant has only just confirmed which 12 titles will be available for customers on launch day. I have to say, the fact the company left it this late to let people know which games would launch with Stadia is a little... odd.
In an announcement on the Stadia Blog, Google revealed that the service will kick off with 12 "carefully chosen" games. Another 14 are expected to roll out before the end of 2019.
At launch, customers can expect to get their hands on Mortal Kombat 11, Samurai Shodown, Thumper, Just Dance 2020, Assassin's Creed Odyssey, Destiny 2, Gylt, Kine, Red Dead Redemption 2, Tomb Raider, Rise Of The Tomb Raider, and Shadow Of The Tomb Raider.
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It's great to see a couple of fighting games in the mix, as they should help to address any latency concerns as soon as the service launches. Red Dead Redemption 2 should also be a great stress-test for Stadia. With that said, it's hard not to notice the glaring lack of exclusives. All of the above games are already available on other platforms, except Gylt, leaving me to wonder exactly who Stadia is for - at least at launch.
That's not to say that Stadia won't appeal to a certain group, of course. There might well be people out there who haven't played any of the above 12 games and feel that Google's new service is the perfect time to dive in. We'll just have to wait and see.
As 2019 draws to a close, Google will also release another 14 games for the service. These include Borderlands 3, Attack on Titan 2: Final Battle, Darksiders Genesis, Dragonball Xenoverse 2, Farming Simulator 19, Final Fantasy XV, Football Manager 2020, Ghost Recon Breakpoint, Grid, Metro Exodus, NBA 2K20, RAGE 2, Trials Rising and Wolfenstein: Youngblood.
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I'll be honest, I'm fascinated to see how well Stadia does when it launches. At this point, it really could go either way. Be sure to keep an eye on GAMINGbible for our impressions on the streaming service in the coming weeks.
Featured Image Credit: GoogleTopics: Tomb Raider, Stadia