What you need to know
- Google Stadia is a cloud game streaming service that launched last week.
- Stadia Pro members get access to Destiny 2 and Samurai Shodown already.
- On December 1, they'll gain access to Farming Simulator 19 and Tomb Raider.
- If you already bought the December games, Google will give you a refund.
Yesterday, Google Stadia announced that in December 2019, Stadia Pro subscribers — everyone at the moment — will gain access to Farming Simulator 19 and Tomb Raider as part of their subscription. This works similar to the way Xbox Live Games with Gold works on Xbox One. If you're an active member, you can keep on playing the titles, but once you stop paying for the service, you lose access to these "free" games.
If you were one of the people who bought Farming Simulator 19 and Tomb Raider in the past few days, and just realized that you get them for free in December, Google will give you a refund for both. Just reach out to their customer support team and explain the situation. Even if you've played the game for more than the maximum time, the company will make an exception in this case. A report by Kotaku revealed the following quote from a Google employee.
We know that some users have recently purchased these two games for their collection. Because of the proximity between the launch of the platform, and the announcement of these titles in Stadia Pro, we're happy to assist you if you'd like to request a refund if you have purchased either or both of these titles, even if it's outside of our normal policy.
Be sure to get a refund if you were one of those people who bought either or both of these games. Since Stadia Pro is the only way to access Stadia at the moment — with the free tier coming sometime in 2020 — it doesn't make sense to pay the subscription fee and individual cost of games you get as part of your membership.
The price of these titles will probably go down significantly some months down the line so even if you decide to cancel your Stadia Pro membership when the free tier rolls out, you can still buy them then for less.
A good way to start
This bundle includes everything you need to get started with Stadia. It includes the controller, Chromecast Ultra, Destiny 2, Samurai Shodown, and three months of the Stadia Pro subscription for you and a friend. It's a great way to begin your game streaming journey.
UHD streaming
You can buy everything together or you can get just the basics for Stadia. The Chromecast Ultra is available to purchase now and lets you stream 4K TV as well as play games.
A firm grip on what's needed
The Stadia Controller is all you need to use Stadia if you already have the Chromecast Ultra. You can also use it on your other devices. Get the Wasabi colored one, it's gorgeous.
