Google is actually considering enabling classic Bluetooth support for your Stadia controllers

As we’ve reported on all week since the news broke, Google Stadia is shutting down in January, and with it, troves of people – myself included – have the company’s gaming controller, but no idea what to do with it. The platform’s technology, which is called Immersive Stream for Games, will likely go on to do great things, but no one really cares anymore. Instead, Stadians just want to use its excellent hardware to play their favorite games on their PCs and other consoles.

While it may at first seem odd, the fact that it only works wired or via Wi-Fi makes perfect sense. The controller connects directly to Google’s cloud and to your game so as not to have to deal with the middleman – Bluetooth. However, with Stadia “winding down”, the controller itself will likely become something many people send to the landfills unless the company does something about it.

Interestingly, a Redditor has reached out to Google to echo our sentiments and those of the rest of the internet this week. The surprising bit is that Google actually answered them! As you can see in the email below, TheOneWhoWil received the following from the tech giant.

Yes, you read that right – Google is well aware of everyone’s desire to have Bluetooth functionality unlocked for the Stadia gamepad, and that’s a great sign. Keep in mind that classic Bluetooth support is built into the accessory and has been since it was released. There’s a strong likelihood that the time will come when a software update arrives to free your controllers from Google’s grip, allowing you to connect it wirelessly to your Chromebook, PC, PS5, or even other cloud platforms.

Let me know how many Stadia controllers you have on hand and how much money you’re getting back as a refund for them (and the games) come January. I’d be interested in seeing which of you love the ergonomics and which of you aren’t so crazy about them. So far, I’ve heard nothing but great stuff from the community regarding Google’s design choice, but I still prefer my DualSense 5 for most things.