Here's a brief rundown of the limitations early adopters will face on day one:
- "On day 1, PC Chrome gameplay won't support 4K, HDR, or 5.1 Surround Sound." Those features will be added in 2020 for PC players.
- Stream Connect, which allows one player's Stadia viewpoint to be integrated with another player's stream, will not be available in any launch games. The first game to use it is expected to launch by the end of the year.
- State Share (which lets users share save files via links) and Crowd Play (which allows for quick jump-in multiplayer through a YouTube stream) won't be integrated into games until next year.
- At launch, Google Assistant integration will be limited to the ability to turn on the TV and start a game. Soon after launch, the Assistant button on the Stadia controller will work on Chromecast's Stadia homescreen. Assistant support on PCs and phones and during gameplay will come sometime after that.
- Family Sharing (which lets you buy a game once and share it with accounts held by family members) "is not supported on day one, so you'll have to buy games for your child's account." The feature is planned for addition "early next year."
- There is no Stadia UI for Achievements or Achievement notifications on day one. But if you happen to perform an in-game feat that would earn a specific Achievement, it will show up when the feature is rolled out "shortly after launch."
- Chromecast Ultra units included in the Founders/Premiere bundles are the only ones that will work with Stadia on day one. Other Chromecast Ultra units will be able to play Stadia games after an over-the-air update "soon after launch."
- The "Buddy Pass" that lets early adopters offer a free three-month Stadia trial to a friend will be sent "about two weeks after you receive your bundle, barring some unknown unknowns popping up."
- Currently, "the phone is needed for initial setup and buying games." Buying games through a Chromecast Ultra or the Web is not supported, and the AMA gave no indication if or when it would be added.
- As previously discussed, mobile support will be limited to Google Pixel phones and ChromeOS tablets at launch. A timeline for general iOS and Android support is still to be determined, but Pixel will likely be the only mobile support "this year," according to the AMA. Google says it "want Stadia to run on every screen eventually."
- As previously discussed, the Stadia Controller's wireless functions will only work with Chromecast Ultra at launch. To use that controller with a phone or tablet, you'll need to plug it in with a USB-C cable. Generic USB controllers will also work with Stadia on PC or phones, but not on Chromecast.
- As previously discussed, only 12 titles will be available for purchase on Stadia at launch, with 14 more promised by the end of the year. A handful of other previously announced "launch window" titles on Stadia are planned for early 2020.
Can you say half-baked? Holy crap.
This was posted this morning but couldn't find anything here, but lock it up if old.
