It’s not to understand anything: a few days after formalizing the shutdown of Stadia, Google is proud to announce “the first laptops designed for cloud gaming”.
It’s called having a sense of timing… Or not. On September 29, Google formalized the final shutdown of Stadia, a few months after claiming that this would not be the case. A handful of days later, we discover, in a press release published on October 11, that the multinational is proud to present “ the first laptops designed for cloud gaming “. Without Stadia, therefore.
Google does not directly manufacture this first batch of Chromebooks inheriting several features dear to the world of gaming. The Mountain View company has approached the manufacturers Acer, Asus and Lenovo to take these computers to a new level, designed to be accessible from a financial point of view.
Who is Google kidding?
Chromebooks can already offer video games thanks to cloud gaming, but future references marketed by Acer, Asus and Lenovo will really be thoughts for. Better visual experience with a 120 or 144 Hz screen, anti-ghosting keyboard (and possibly RGB) which allows you to type on several keys without causing an error, Wi-Fi 6 for a better wireless connection…: these machines really seem cut out for gaming. Google puts forward very comfortable conditions on titles like Fortnite, Cyberpunk 2077 and Crysis 3 Remastered — all three capable of reaching 120 fps. The search engine can also launch a game directly.
Of course, these promises are beautiful; we can applaud the arrival of Chromebooks capable of leaving their role as basic office PCs. But we cannot close our eyes to the immense irony that surrounds this announcement. Where Google touts compatibility with services like GeForce Now, Xbox Game Pass, and Amazon Luna (not available in France). There could have been a reality where the tech giant was launching Chomebooks taking 100% advantage of Stadia, with a perfect marriage between software and hardware. It was even the perfect opportunity to talk positively about the service again. But Google prefers to shed light on the competition.
Another proof that nothing is right: Google does not even have the intelligence to recycle its Stadia controllers when it mentions the accessories to be associated with these Chromebooks. ” We know that gamers love to enhance their experience with accessories “, he specifies. There will be mice, headsets and controllers that are Chromebook-certified — but designed by third parties. Google really had all the cards in hand to make Stadia shine…
