Google Stadia is today launching a new beta for iPhone and iPad, that will allow users to enjoy the service over Safari.
According to a new report from The Verge, Stadia has just arrived on iOS, making it the latest streaming game service that now works with iPhones and iPads via the browser (there’s no official iOS app available yet):
Google, like other competing cloud services, is using mobile Safari due to Apple’s restrictions on cloud gaming apps that mean platforms like Stadia can’t exist in their current form on the App Store. Unlike Nvidia’s GeForce Now or the planned mobile web version of Microsoft’s xCloud, however, Google Stadia has a free tier without restrictions and now offers two free-to-play games available (Destiny 2 and Super Bomberman R), with more to come. That means anyone with a Gmail account looking to try Stadia can give it a shot on an iPhone or iPad with minimal effort.
The service is accessible through Chrome, Safari or a progressive web app (PWA). If you want to use the latter, simply open Stadia in Safari (https://stadia.google.com), hit the Share shortcut and then select “Add to Home Screen.” You’ll then have an “app” that functions almost identically to the native Android application.
As per the report, it means users will be able to enjoy titles like Assassin’s Creed Valhalla and Cyberpunk 2077 on iPhone and iPad. The Verge says that through a week of testing the service works “remarkably well”, even with touch controls.
Even with its kinks, Google Stadia on iOS is perfectly functional for what it’s trying to accomplish: Accessible gaming on the devices players already own. But those who are planning to sign up for Stadia on iOS have to understand what they’re getting into. An iPhone won’t suddenly become a replacement for a PC; it just means players don’t have to lug one around just to play a game on vacation.
