Despite the PS5 and Xbox Series X now being out in the wild, many gamers are still unable to play next-gen games on them, with a scarcity of consoles and high price points two notable barriers to be overcome.
Well, as officially revealed during CES 2021 (opens in new tab), it looks like Google Stadia and LG are riding into the rescue this year, with the game streaming service being built directly into LG's new 2021 Smart TVs.
This means that no extra hardware will be needed to stream AAA graphically impressive games like Cyberpunk 2077 and Assassin's Creed Valhalla, with the gamer just needing a Google Stadia controller in order to play directly through the TV.
According to the official LG press release, "Stadia on LG TVs will allow customers to instantly play hit Stadia games such as Cyberpunk 2077, NBA 2K21, Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla and Watch Dogs: Legion with just a Stadia controller and no additional hardware or game downloads required."
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And, simply put, this raises a key question to anyone who has been thinking of upgrading their TV to one of the best gaming TVs. The question is: if you can play the latest games directly through your TV, streamed live from the cloud, is this LG-Google Stadia collaboration the perfect next-gen solution?
If a PS5 or Xbox Series X cost going on $600-800 with a few games doesn't it make more sense to invest in a new LG Smart TV and Stadia subscription?
Of course, as T3 notes in its Google Stadia review, game streaming is still very much dependent on the quality of your internet connection, but providing you've got anything half decent then this looks like it will be a very convenient way to play the very latest games without needing expensive local gaming hardware.
Despite the proof being in the pudding, so to speak, with T3 reserving judgement until this Google Stadia functionality can be tested out on LG's 2021 Smart TVs, the fact that the 2020 LG CX Smart TV is our number one choice of gaming TV right now, with us giving it a maximum score of 5 stars on review, makes us very excited about this new partnership indeed.
“Supporting Stadia on LG TVs is our commitment to customers that gaming is an increasingly important feature expected by LG TV owners,” said Lee Sang-woo, senior vice president of corporate business strategy at LG Electronics Home Entertainment Company. “Stadia is changing how people access their favorite games and by providing webOS compatibility, we’re making an early commitment to the platform.”
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