Google has officially launched its Stadia game streaming app on LG TVs, bringing a new world of cloud gaming to what are widely considered to be some of the best TVs for video games.
The Google Stadia app works on all LG TVs running webOS 5.0 and webOS 6.0, which means all of the company’s 2020 and 2021 models. LG said the app is available now in 22 countries, including the U.K., Ireland, the U.S. and much of Europe.
With the Stadia app installed, anyone with an LG smart TV will have instant access to over 200 top video game titles, including the likes of Resident Evil Village, Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla, Hitman, Baldur’s Gate 3 and Cyberpunk 2077. The only other things needed are a subscription and a compatible controller.
“Native support of Stadia gameplay on LG Smart TVs helps deliver instant access to high-end games with support for exceptional graphics and frame rates on cutting-edge displays," LG said in a press release.
For the uninitiated, Google Stadia is a video game streaming service that eliminates the need for a games console. Instead, the games are hosted on a server and streamed directly to the user’s TV. Subscribers will get access to around 30 titles they can access instantly, with all other titles in the 200-strong library available to purchase separately.
Google Stadia games are streamed in 4K resolution with 5.1 surround sound so a decent experience is expected. To play, a controller such as the official Stadia controller, the PlayStation DualShock 4 or an Xbox controller is required. There are numerous compatible models available besides those.
New users can take advantage of a one month free trial. After that, subscriptions for Google Stadia start at £9 per month in the U.K., $10 per month in the U.S. and €10 per month in Europe.
The addition of Google Stadia is a big deal for LG, whose TVs – especially its latest OLED models – are widely regarded as some of the best displays for gamers that money can buy, due to their sub-1 millisecond responsiveness, vibrant colours and higher frame rates. Although Stadia only goes up to 60Hz rather than the 120Hz most new LG TVs are capable of, superb graphics and smooth gameplay are assured.
Nvidia’s GeForce Now video game streaming service also landed on LG TVs recently.
