We’re just a few days away from the official release of Google Stadia and we’ve already got our review unit. I managed to snag the @Android handle, so all you casuals can feel my wrath in Destiny 2. Get wrecked, scrubs.
In all seriousness, Google gave us a Founder’s Edition Stadia early and allowed us to unbox it for you. There isn’t a lot new here past what you already know, but we figured we’d do a quick post to show you what you’ll get for your money.
When you open the Stadia Founder’s Edition box, you’re greeted by the controller. The Founder’s Edition is a navy-blue color, but at launch, you’ll be able to choose between Clearly White, Just Black, and Wasabi.
The controller feels really well built, and can be used for other games with Bluetooth.
There is a soft texture on the top of the controller, with various buttons you’ll be familiar with and some you won’t. Of course, you’ve got two joysticks, a D-pad, and an XYBA array, but you’ll also find a Google Assistant button, a screenshot button, a settings button, a menu button, and a Stadia button.
The controller is charged with USB-C and can also be used wired with a game, but Google doesn’t include a USB-C to USB-C cable in the box, so you’ll have to find one yourself. There is also a headphone jack at the bottom of the controller, which is convenient if you want to use some wired headphones.
Read: I just canceled my Google Stadia Founder’s Edition pre-order
Overall, I’m impressed with the Stadia controller. It feels familiar, but not too similar to the controllers on the Xbox One or PlayStation 4. The controller feels great in the hand and the fact that it also works as a standard Bluetooth controller means you can use it for other games on your phone or PC.
Below the controller, you’ll find a charging brick and USB-C to USB-A cable for charging. And under that, you’ll find a Chromecast Ultra with a micro-USB power adapter.
At launch, you’ll have to use the Chromecast Ultra that comes with your Google Stadia Founder’s Edition, because it has firmware that hasn’t been pushed to other Chromecast Ultras yet. Google says the new firmware will be pushed to older Chromecast Ultras soon after launch.
You’ll need to use this Chromecast Ultra at launch if you want to play on a TV.
Google also gave me a special clip used to mount the phone to the controller, but it doesn’t come in the box. Google says this will be available for sale later down the line. It feels a bit weird to mount the clip to the top of your controller with your phone in it, but I suppose it’s pretty convenient if you want to play games on the go. Currently, you need to connect the controller to your phone or PC to play, but Bluetooth support is coming soon.
And that’s it! Our full Google Stadia review is coming soon, but if you want to learn more about the service, head over to our hub to learn everything you need to know about Google Stadia.
Excited?
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