The first new AAA studio game on Stadia is finally here with the launch of Darksiders Genesis, and if you’d like to play it right now you can.
The game will cost you more to play it on Stadia though compared to the Steam price. It’ll set you back $40 on Stadia, or you can pay $30 on Steam (just under $26 if you grabbed it with the pre-order discount) and get it for a little bit cheaper.
Darksiders Genesis launched on both PC and Stadia today before it lands on consoles next year.
It’s $30 on Steam, so why the price hike on Stadia?
Generally the publishers set the price of the content, so the $40 cost really has little to do with the Stadia team. Also worth noting is that Stadia’s pricing model seems to follow more closely with consoles than PC prices.
That may be part of the reason that it costs more with Google’s platform than it does on places like Steam. However, that doesn’t change the fact that it will be cheaper to play it on Steam. If you have the ability. And that may sway some consumers who have both platforms.
The thing is, Stadia allows you to play the game on multiple devices, and the ability to play it through a Pixel smartphone may be worth the extra $10. Whether it is or not will vary from person to person.
It’s tempting to pick it up on Steam because it will save money. But the allure of playing from a Pixel 3a XL is an enticing factor all its own. So think about that if you’re conflicted about which platform to buy this game on. If you’re considering buying it at all.
Darksiders Genesis may get a discount in the near future
Darksiders Genesis may be $40 on Stadia right now, but it could end up offered at a discount for Pro in the near future.
To be clear Google hasn’t hinted at this in any way so there’s no telling when the price will drop. The game is new, so any discounts may not come for a while.
The point is if you don’t feel like paying the higher price but you also want it on Stadia rather than on other platforms, your option right is to simply wait until it gets a bit cheaper.
Also keep in mind that you can save yourself a little bit of actual money on the game if you have anything in your Google Play balance account. If you’re someone who’s racked up around $10 or more through the Rewards app, then you can use that drop the price down on what you pay for Darksiders Genesis out of your own pocket.
Stadia will subtract any Google Play balance amounts you have first, then charge the card you have on file. Just some food for thought.