Google Stadia responds to complaints over lag on gaming platform
Google’s Stadia has responded to complaints that lag is affecting services on the new cloud-based game streaming platform.
Early adopters have complained about latency – delays between when they press a button and that action being carried out in-game – on the new service.
Read more: Google announces Stadia game streaming platform
Google vice president of engineering Madj Bakar had claimed that games played via Stadia, which allows users to play games without the need for a console, would perform quicker than those run on a console or computer.
But the tech giant has warned users that Stadia requires a fast broadband or data connection, with some images circulated on social media indicating Google has suggested players should not use their internet connections for other activities while gaming.
One user complained said Google had essentially advised gamers: “Don’t use the internet while using Stadia”, accompanied by a screenshot of a troubleshooting page advising users not to stream other content while gaming.
Google said the company was working to lower latency on the new platform.
“The overall Stadia system design is focused on low latency game play,” said a spokesperson.
“We achieve this through the overall architecture and detailed design of the Cloud, endpoints, and input devices like the Stadia controller.”
They added that Google was “optimistic about our continued work around minimising lag concerns even further. We are working on lowering the end to end latency with our scaled deployment including streaming algorithms and proprietary hardware.”
Uswitch tech expert Ernest Doku said gamers interested in Stadia should check the data allowance on their internet connections, adding: “cloud-based gaming is here and it’s a hungry beast”.
“The idea of being able to play the highest-spec games without the need for a wallet-busting PC or console is a tantalising one,” said Doku, but he warned that gamers who want to play with 4K reoition would need an internet connection over 35Mbps.
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Gamers have also complained about the high costs associated with Stadia, and Doku said gamers should be prepared to “be hit by a triple whammy of costs”.
Users need to fork out £119 for a bundle that includes a controller and a Chromecast dongle, £8.99 per month for a Stadia Pro subscription, as well as having to pay up to £69 per game for premium titles.
Main image credit: Getty