Support for wireless controllers on Chrome may be coming to Google’s Stadia soon. Some are reporting that they’re already starting to see a sign that Stadia wireless controller support is coming to the browser, although officially, Google hasn’t unlocked it yet.
Early sign of Stadia wireless controller support
The Stadia controller did have wireless support when used with a Chromecast Ultra, but when it was used with phones or computers, it required a USB-C connection. Many have found that to be inconvenient, but that may be about to change.
Support documentation from Google officially reveals that the Stadia controller works wirelessly on a TV, but using it with Google Chrome or an Android 10 phone requires a USB connection. Obviously, if the controller works wirelessly with the Chromecast Ultra, wireless support should be allowed on other platforms at some point. PiunikaWeb notes that the Stadia controller does have the components it needs to work wirelessly.
Google modifications point to support coming soon
A Reddit user spotted something new in the Controllers section of Stadia. Google modified the section to include a statement that Stadia wireless controller support is coming soon, but the Stadia controller and some third-party controllers can still be used in wired mode. Google also said it will support wireless controllers at some point “in the near future.”
It’s unclear just when Google will roll out wireless support for the Stadia controller, but the modification to the Controllers section of the game streaming platform is definitely a sign of progress being made.
Adoption is going slowly, although developers like it
According to PocketGamer.biz, new downloads of the Google Stadia app have been cut in half since it was launched. Citing data from Sensor Tower, the site reports that in November, the Stadia app was downloaded 383,000 times. Since then, the number of downloads has increased about 44% to 550,000. That includes Nov. 5 through Jan. 13.
Despite the slowing adoption of Stadia, some developers are already fans of the platform. Tequila Works CEO Raul Rubio told Gamesindustry.biz that he sees the early days of Stadia as similar to the early days of Steam. Tequila Works created the Stadia exclusive Gylt, and Rubio said he was impressed by the platform’s technology when Google approached his company about two years ago. He called Google “a very good partner,” adding that he only has “very good works for the Stadia team.” He likes developing for the Stadia platform, so it seems likely that we can expect more Tequila Works games on the streaming platform at some point.
