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Stadia for Android TV has finally launched, and it’s allowing millions to enjoy Google’s game streaming service directly in their living rooms on devices that couldn’t before. You don’t even need to own a Chromecast with Google TV or a Chromecast Ultra anymore. Heck, you don’t even need to own a Stadia controller either – the company allows users to hook up many of the gamepads they already own. All of that, with the free 30-day trial and 30 games to access the moment you sign up and the bar to entry is practically nonexistent.
With all of that being said, Google does offer a Stadia Premiere Edition bundle which comes with a Stadia controller and a Chromecast Ultra so anyone interested can get up and running in no time. Traditionally, this package has retailed for $99.99 USD, but today, it’s permanently dropping down to $79.99 – that’s a twenty-dollar reduction.
Some of you may be wondering right about now why this is being discounted indefinitely. Well, with this move, Google is also bundling together its new Chromecast with Google TV and a Stadia controller and offering it as the ‘Play and Watch with Google TV Package’ – clever. Clearly, the company is just trying to get rid of its old inventory and is interested in upgrading many users to the new device, which is fine.
If you’re interested in picking up the Ultra which comes with an inbuilt Ethernet port (no adapter required like the new dongle!) and also want to play Stadia, this may be the best path forward. Anyone who wants the new Google TV interface, a hardware remote for media, and also wants to game a bit, I’d consider going with the new Play and Watch package if I were you.
This new Play and Watch with Google TV Package will normally run you $129.99, but there’s an introductory promotion going on right now where you can get $19 off, making it the same price that the Premiere Edition used to be. Oh, I almost forgot to mention – You can get the Chromecast in this package in Snow, Sunrise, or Sky, so long as there’s inventory, and the Stadia controller comes in Clearly White, Just Black, and Wasabi. Will you be picking up the new bundle, or are you going with the old school version?
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