Google will enable Bluetooth in the controller dedicated to the service

The stadium has entered its final stretch. Google’s video game streaming service will officially shut down on January 18, and the company has been taking gradual steps over the past few months to make sure users know this and stop spending their money on a “dead” service. The only problem remained the hardware, i.e. the controller dedicated to the service, which without the Stadia servers became a useless piece of plastic. It seems that with the closure of the service, this controller will get an update that allows it to connect to PCs or other devices via Bluetooth.

Google’s Stadia controller won’t remain a useless piece of plastic after the service shuts down

The first steps towards shutting down Stadia were taken back in the fall, when the company stopped being able to buy content on the platform, and those with Stadia Pro subscriptions were given free access to them. Google then returned the money to everyone who had bought games on the platform, but not to those who had subscribed over time.

Some game developers chose to offer Stadia customers either the game they bought on the platform for free on other non-streaming services, or allowed them to transfer their Stadia saves to another platform so they wouldn’t lose progress made playing the game.

We’ve also got Bluetooth news: next week we’ll be releasing a self-serve tool to enable Bluetooth connections on your Stadia Controller.

We’ll share details here on release. pic.twitter.com/6vYomngfmA

– Stadia ☁️🎮 (@GoogleStadia) January 13, 2023

The controller was a sore point though, as those who bought it, often alongside a Chromecast Ultra, couldn’t do anything else with it. Sure, it also worked wired, but inside is a chip and antennas that allow both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connections. Implicitly, this controller works exclusively over Wi-Fi, sending button presses directly to the server the game is running on to ensure the shortest possible response time. All other streaming services communicate with the controller exclusively via the device to which it is connected.

Google has confirmed that it will release an app dedicated to the Stadia controller, which will allow it to be updated to a new software version that will enable Bluetooth functionality. This will allow those who own such an accessory to use it alongside a PC, or other devices such as smartphones or tablets. The app will be launched next week ahead of the closure of the service.