What controllers can I use with Stadia?

Popular controllers compatible with Stadia

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Stadia unlimited

The Stadia controller is the main piece of hardware players will use to interact with Google's new Stadia gaming service. It looks like a typical controller for the most part, but it comes with two unique buttons: a Share and Google Assistant button.

The buttons will be at the core of Stadia (once everything Google originally promised about the service is up and running). You can hit the Share button to broadcast or share a clip directly to YouTube. The Google Assistant button connects you to, you guessed it, Google's smart assistant. There's a built-in microphone on the controller that can process your commands and questions, along with special in-game features.

Additionally, you'll need the Stadia controller to link up with your Chromecast. This is a key way to play Stadia games on your TV and you can't reach the Chromecast without an official Stadia controller.

There's a lot of incentive to get one. However, the good news is that you don't need a Stadia controller to stream games from the cloud on other devices. Stadia on your phone or PC will work with almost any of your controllers as long as they connect via USB or Bluetooth.

A more universal controller

The features of the Stadia controller are tempting but if you aren't sure how much you want to invest in streaming games from Google yet, USB and Bluetooth controllers are an option on PC and compatible phones. Just plugin or pair your controller as you usually would before starting up Stadia.

If you don't already have a Bluetooth controller and you're looking for one that can offer more comprehensive coverage, there are plenty of options. The SteelSeries Stratus Duo is one of our current favorite Bluetooth controllers. You can use it on both PC and mobile, and it gets 20 hours of use out of a full charge.

If you want to be hard-wired in and are looking for a basic USB controller, the Logitech F310 is your best bet. It works with PC, Android TV, and more.

Where can I buy a Stadia controller?

If you do decide a Stadia controller is the way to go, Google is now offering the Stadia controller both as a standalone purchase and in a Stadia Premiere Edition, $69 and $129, respectively. The premiere package comes with the controller, a Chromecast, and three months of Stadia Pro if you prefer to stream Stadia games to your TV.