While it’s not fully rolled out yet, the restrictions for accessing the Google Stadia Store are now being lifted entirely. Up until now, you’d have to log into the service using your Google Account, but as announced at the 2022 Google For Games Developer Summit, anyone hoping to access free games, game demos, or just to look around without first committing to signing up are now in luck!
To be clear, you’ll still need to log into your Stadia account in order to buy games or to pay for DLC or add-ons. Additionally, you’ll need to log in to message your friends or to join group chats, obviously. Virtually anything that requires you to have a unique identity will require a login, but no longer needing to type in a username or a password to look around takes a huge burden off of the bar for entry, specifically for new or potential Stadia converts.
In the coming weeks, anyone will be able to access and search the full Stadia store and its 200+ games – without needing to create or sign into a Stadia account. Players will be able to find Stadia games through Google Search, and explore Stadia’s library of entirely free games or demos to try, the 50+ games in Stadia Pro, publisher sales, or the 100+ games launching on Stadia this year.
Google Spokesperson
Because we were unable to get the store up and running without logging in yet, we’re showing off a clip of the account-free process from 9to5Google. Google states that this feature is rolling out over the next few weeks, so you may just need to be patient and keep checking back.
Free games on Stadia without a Pro account (and now without an account at all) include Crayta, Destiny 2, HITMAN – Free Starter Pack, Nine To Five Early Access, PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS (these publishers really love using all caps for game titles, don’t they?), Super Animal Royale, and SUPER BOMBERMAN R ONLINE.
If you’re interested in trying a free demo on Stadia to test out the cloud technology and see what all the hype is about, you can currently look forward to Chorus, Immortals Fenyx Rising, RAINBOW SIX: EXTRACTION and Resident Evil Village, though these are subject to change. Oh, and Risk of Rain 2 is getting a free hour-long demo too! The fact that you can literally just click or visit a link and start playing an AAA title through your Chrome browser without any commitment is just mind blowing, and should serve Google well in bolstering its user base as more people discover the joy of cloud gaming.
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