From the Store tab, you’ll be able to see games that you can claim as part of Stadia Pro, if you have a subscription, along with any games that you can buy to play on the service. It’s divided into three tabs, with one “Store” tab, one “Home” tab, and one “Explore” tab. The Google Stadia app is relatively easy to navigate. Even with a good network, you should expect the odd stutter every now and then. I also used it on AT&T’s 5G network, where I got around 30Mbps in my area. I used the service on a 50Mbps Wi-Fi connection, and it worked fine. Your connection will need to be better than you might assume. Of course, it’s also important to note that you’ll need a solid connection to use Stadia. The service is also compatible with other displays, and you can use it on an iPhone or iPad, though you’ll have to do so through Safari rather than through any native app. Speaking of displays, I used the service on a Pixel 4a 5G, a Google Chromecast Ultra, and in Chrome on a Mac Mini. However, that perhaps would have been trickier for those that use multiple displays.

And, you’ll have to keep in mind that you’ll have to wait a few seconds after typing in the code for the controller to connect. It would have been nice if the controller connected automatically. Eventually, the process seemed to work a little better, but you do have to re-enter a code each time you want to connect the controller to a device. The controller often just…didn’t connect, prompting me to restart the pairing process. Seems easy - but initially it didn’t really work properly for me. Back of Google Stadia controller Image source: Christian de Looper for BGR

Then, you’ll turn on the controller, pair the controller with the app, press a combination of buttons to approve pairing, and you should be off to the races. You’ll start by downloading and installing the Stadia app on your phone.

Setting up the service is perhaps the worst part of using it. At this point, a year and a half after its launch, is Google Stadia an ecosystem that’s actually worth buying into? What about the Google Stadia controller? I’ve been testing the service for a while now to find out. Since then, Google has been working hard at improving the overall Stadia experience, making deals like one with AT&T to get Stadia in more hands, and more. But complicated setups and buggy performance made it a tough sell. The service was billed as a way to easily get console-quality gaming without having to actually invest in a console. Google Stadia has had a bit of a rough go.

Play google stadia on mac