Well, I play Gwent and Apex legends online on PS4 without a sub :P

Its actually worse than that, Stadia isnt legally bound to keep a game in library.

If 5 years down the line, theres too many games, and its hurting them server side,
they can just remove titles (even ones you bought), that you then can no longer play.

You dont own any game you buy on stadia.

This is such a scam, it should be illegal. They’re basically asking full price for a rental, with an unknown expiration date for your convenience. And then that’s not enough because they’d really like you to also subscribe to nothing for a monthly fee on top of that just to get the ‘better’ version.

Also that one line in OP is gold; “can’t share between family members, we recommend you just buy *read: lend* a second full priced copy. I don’t see why anyone would ever get near this thing.

Google in the latest AMA said there will be family model in the next year. people need to do research before hating. A lot of features will be available in 2020, with the Free mode, including a family plan.

While what you say is technically true I wouldn't act too high and mighty about "owning" games on console, because frankly, you don't. Since consoles are closed platforms and are updated remotely with firmware the platform holder has complete power over what games you can and cannot play on your system. They control the DRM and they have absolutely the power to make your system deny to play even physical copies of games. So unless you're talking about PC neither digital nor physical are safe from the platform owner. And if the owner of the platform has that much power you sure as hell don't "own" anything.

It's fine to be skeptical about streaming and DRM, but using console games as a shining example of game ownership is kinda ridiculous. This was true 20 years ago but not anymore.

Serious question - Has anyone here read the Switch software licenses, either between Google and the consumer or Google and a publisher? I see a lot of people in here stating things that will happen due to licensing issues, but I'm not aware that any licenses have been available for the public to see.

I must say, I'm intrigued and somewhat optimistic about streaming in the long term. But, the more I hear about Stadia, the less I feel like it is going to succeed, at least anytime soon. Ever since their big intro conference last year, every piece of news has been about this or that feature not coming yet, the games lineup getting smaller, etc. I feel like Google would be better off to say the service isn't ready yet and delay until they can get another couple dozen games (a few of which need to be launching right now, rather than last year), and get the promised features ready.

It's one thing to have 1-2 features miss launch. But, it seems like they're not ready for anything except the very core experience of streaming, and that only with a third of the promised games. This doesn't seem like the way to have a successful launch.

Oh no, I need a phone to buy games? But I don't have a phone??

Seriously, who the **** doesn't have a phone at this point in time?

The issue for me personally is the pricing.  I pay to stream and I pay full price, assuming I go for the higher package.  I don't get that.  Games should be cheaper.  

Blizzard enters the chat-

"Don't you guys have phones?!"

Stop saying we're not doing research.  All of this information in this post and the things it's getting bashed for comes from the same AMA you're referencing.  Nearly everything being mentioned that was promised or expected from Stadia is not going to be available at launch.  Stadia's being billed as being able to play your games anywhere, on any device.  But at launch it only works in very specific environments, and will be very restricted.  It just sounds very not ready to go. Yet they're going ahead with it anyways, basically making the first people paying alpha testers, as it doesn't even seem to be in beta stage yet.

Look, I'm actually not as down on Stadia as many here, and I plan and even look forward to try it when the free 1080p version is available next year.  But this AMA was a disaster with all the things they mention that are simply not ready to go at launch.  And while you seem optimistic and trust Google will sort it out, those of us that are responding to you aren't so sure.  I'll be shocked if even half these things are ready by the time the free version releases, 'cause there's A LOT to be done.