5 Best Stadia Alternatives for Cloud Gaming in 2023
If you are a gaming fan, you must have heard about Stadia, an amazing cloud-based gaming platform that has now set to shut down in January 2023. Stadia users have started looking for alternative gaming services already.
So, here we are, setting out to find the best Stadia alternatives for Cloud gaming. Read till the end to see which gaming platform will pique your interest.
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Here’s a list of some of the best Stadia Alternatives for Cloud Gaming,
Before we get into the Stadia alternatives for Cloud gaming, let us see a few things about Google Stadia.
What is Stadia, and Why is it Shutting Down?
Stadia is a Google gaming service for cloud-based games. It was developed with a strong foundation of technology and had many features and services you cannot expect to receive in other cloud gaming platforms.
You may wonder why such an amazing cloud gaming platform is shutting down. The answer is that Stadia has many facilities and features a gamer might look for, but initially, the gaming platform had several issues and did not meet the gamers’ expectations.
Although Stadia has made many improvements and enhanced its platform since its release, the Google Stadia team feels it does not have the impact they thought it would have. In short, Stadia did not gain the reach the team expected. This is the ultimate reason for the closing down of Stadia.
Now let’s look into the details of all the Stadia alternatives for Cloud Gaming without further delay.
Let’s jump in and see a detailed view of the above-mentioned Stadia Alternatives,
1. Nvidia GeForce Now
Nvidia GeForce Now is a Cloud-based gaming service that is also very similar to the Stadia, making it one of the perfect Stadia alternatives for Cloud gaming. With Nvidia GeForce, you can now play your favorite games on any device you want to use, like Android Phone, Android TV, PC, or macOS.
GeForce Now can’t beat the high resolution and latency that Google Stadia can offer, but it offers you a range of games from various studios. It gives you the feature of syncing all your games from other studio accounts, like your Steam and Epic Game accounts, if you have any, and play them on GeForce Now.
| Requirements | 15Mbps internet speed for 720p cloud gaming at 60FPS25Mbps speed for 1080p cloud gaming at 60FPS |
| Platforms | Windows PC, Android, Android TV, Chrome OS, macOS, iOS Safari, Chromium browser, and Shield TV. |
| Pricing | One hour of a free trial Priority membership starts at $8.99 per month. RTX 3080 membership starts at $19.99 per month. Available at $15 per month for subscribers of the Xbox game pass. |
| Availability | United States and United Kingdom, etc. |
| Website | https://www.nvidia.com/en-us/geforce-now/ |
Pros
- Popular games from exclusive libraries.
- Other sources of gaming can be connected together.
- It can be used on multiple devices.
- iPhone and iPad users can now play Fortnite.
Cons
- GeForce Now is not as good as Stadia in terms of latency.
- The resolution is not good compared to Stadia.
2. Steam Link
Steam Link is a utility that can cast games, unlike the Stadia gaming service. You need many things to access Steam Link to the fullest, like a capable PC with CPU and GPU that have good performance. It is also advisable to have a wired connection like an ethernet connection for reduced latency gaming.
If you have a gaming machine, you can broadcast games locally to your smartphone, TV, Android, or laptop through the host machine and play games with low latency. The Remote Play feature in Steam lets you stream games.
| Requirements | A Powerful PC |
| Platforms | Windows PC, Android, Android TV, Linux, macOS, iOS, iPad OS, and Steam OS. |
| Pricing | Free |
| Availability | Available in all region |
| Website | https://store.steampowered.com/app/353380/Steam_Link/ |
Pros
- You can stream or cast games anywhere and on any device.
- Any type of controller can be supported.
- You can play anywhere you want with Remote Play.
Cons
- You need a powerful PC that has a good-performing CPU and GPU.
- It is not similar to Stadia as it is a game-casting service.
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3. Amazon Luna
Luna gives you access to several libraries with different types of video games because it has a varied selection of channels. Initially, Luna had the invitation-only type of access, but now you can get access to this game streaming service if you are an Amazon Luna subscriber.
Luna – one of the best Stadia alternatives for Cloud gaming, has improved its performance, and you can switch seamlessly between devices that are compatible with Luna. Google Stadia has not been that much of a competitor to Luna since the announcement of Stadia shutting down, even though Stadia can offer much better resolution and lower latency.
| Requirements | Amazon Luna Console |
| Platforms | Windows PC, Android devices, Chromebook, Fire tablets, iPhone, iPad, Fire TV, Mac devices. |
| Pricing | Luna + Channel – $9.99 per month Ubisoft + Channel – $17.99 per month |
| Availability | Available in the US. Currently not supported in Hawaii and Alaska. |
| Website | https://www.amazon.com/luna/landing-page |
Pros
- You will experience low latency most of the time.
- Luna can work well and well in any web browser.
- If you are a user of Amazon Prime, you can get free games from time to time.
- The price is less when compared to other gaming services.
Cons
- You can use a maximum of 1080p in graphics.
- It has some issues with Windows 10.
- You need a Controller from Amazon luna to experience low latency.
4. Xbox Cloud Gaming
Xbox Cloud gaming by Microsoft is another alternative for Stadia which can be used instead of spending your money on a gaming console or PC. Xbox can exceed your expectations with its largest libraries that have a range of high-quality games and even let you play Fortnite on iOS devices.
Xbox users agree that it is much better than Stadia when it comes to having diversified gaming content, making Xbox the best alternative for Google Stadia because of its massive library and variety of gaming content.
| Requirements | Xbox cloud gaming consoleWired network like Ethernet connection |
| Platforms | Windows PC, Android, Xbox Console, iOS, Samsung Smart TV, iPadOS |
| Pricing | For subscribers of the Xbox Ultimate Game Pass, it is $15 per month |
| Availability | United StatesUnited Kingdom, etc. |
| Website | https://www.xbox.com/en-us/play |
Pros
- It has a massive library.
- Xbox gives you great offers, and it is pretty affordable.
- You can use different controllers without any problem.
Cons
- Xbox can use some more servers for better performance.
- Latency in Xbox Cloud gaming is a bit high.
5. Playstation Now
Sony’s Playstation Now is a perfect alternative to Stadia. Like Stadia, it is also a cloud-based gaming service in which you can access games like PS4, PS3, and PS2 with a huge library.
You need to subscribe to PS Plus for membership due to the merging of Sony and PS Plus to play cloud games on Sony Playstation Now. Sony is said to have a wide variety of gaming content, and you just need 5mbps to play games online.
| Requirements | Just 5mbps of internet speed |
| Platforms | Windows PC, PS5, PS4, PS4 Pro |
| Pricing | A premium subscription to PlayStation Plus starts at $17.99 per month. |
| Availability | United StatesUnited Kingdom, etc. |
| Website | https://www.playstation.com/en-us/ps-now/ |
Pros
- You can play popular PS games.
- You don’t need high-speed internet.
- You also get to enjoy the benefits of PS Plus.
Cons
- Playstation Now is available only for Windows PC and some PlayStation devices.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Can you play Stadia Alternatives for Cloud Gaming offline?
You can play Stadia Alternatives for Cloud gaming in offline as it saves the games you want to play offline. To save your recent game offline, you need to sync to the cloud by connecting your Xbox. So that the progression of the game can be saved if you play offline. And it will automatically sync with Xbox when you sign in next time.
What is the point of Google Stadia?
Google’s Stadia is a cloud gaming service. You can play games on any screen virtually without using any additional hardware. You will have to purchase games individually on Stadia, just like Steam Link, to play them on the platform.
Why is Google shutting down Stadia?
To put it simply, Google Stadia did not have the impact on gamers the Stadia team expected it to have. Stadia doesn’t gain gamers’ interest due to some issues it initially had.
End Game
As we all know that Google’s Stadia has yet to be shut down at the start of next year, and Stadia users are worried about finding an alternative gaming service that is as good as Stadia. And Stadia subscribers will get their subscription payments returned after it closes down.
Although any competing gaming service cannot beat the performance and features that Stadia has offered till now, the above-mentioned Stadia alternatives for Cloud gaming can meet your expectations in one way or another, as they all have unique features and benefits that make them the best alternative to Stadia.
