Google Stadia will provide free game and service trials post-launch

Last month, Google showed off a handful of games that would be coming to its new Stadia platform. These included titles from both major publishers and indie developers, with some exclusives being showcased as well. Now, in an interview with StadiaCast (via Android Authority), John Justice, Stadia's Head of Product, has unveiled some interesting information regarding the upcoming cloud gaming service. You can view the full interview below:

According to Justice, free Stadia trials are "something that's high up on the list" for the company. Although the service will have trials, it will be a "few months" after launch. For now, Google is trying to figure out exactly how to incorporate these with Stadia. Moreover, the free trials will not only be offered to Stadia users as a way of testing new features, but will also be provided to non-customers who are interested in trying out the gaming service. As Justice noted, "Both those are trials we want to support."

Another major reveal coming through the interview is that buddy passes will be available within two weeks of launch, as opposed to the previously rumored six-month timeframe. Justice went on to talk about the Stadia controller, confirming that no gyro sensors would be featured with the device for motion control. This is apparently because not a lot of game developers were interested in the capability being implemented.

And finally, there was confirmation for Chromecast users (either those who use dongle or a Chromecast-enabled TV), that mouse and keyboard support won't be offered. As the implementation of the aforementioned feature has not been figured out yet, these users will have to do with controllers - at least for now.

Google Stadia will initially work on TVs with Chromecast, desktops, tablets, and Pixel phones, starting with the Pixel 3 and 3a through the Stadia app. It will launch this November in 14 countries to start off, which include Belgium, Finland, Canada, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Denmark, Spain, France, Sweden, Germany, the UK, Ireland, and the United States. The premium subscription, Stadia Pro, will cost $9.99 per month, while a limited Founder's Edition bundle costing $129 is available for pre-order for a limited time as well. You can learn more about the service's availability and the features it will offer here.