It would appear that Android TV isn’t getting a release of Stadia until sometime next year.
Yesterday, Google announced an all-new Chromecast with Google TV, which seems like more or less a replacement for Android TV. Although Android TV isn’t actually going anywhere. With yesterday’s announcement, some expected that Stadia would get a release on the Android TV platform.
It only made sense. The app already works on Android TV if you sideload it. Not to mention Google just announced a new streaming device that has a similar interface to Android TV, and it even comes with a remote. Google quickly confirmed though that a release is not in the cards yet.
The Stadia team says an Android TV release is coming in 2021
The official Made by Google twitter account highlighted yesterday’s Chromecast announcement and the Stadia team responded.
Noting that the service would be arriving in the first half of 2021. That’s a six-month window. So while there’s every chance that Stadia will arrive for the new Chromecast and other similar devices early on, it’s just as possible that the arrival could happen more towards the Summer.
There should be no doubt that Google will confirm when an official Stadia launch on the platform is closer to a release. It’s been doing pretty good lately about keeping users informed of upcoming changes, features, games and more.
And in the meantime, you can always sideload the Stadia app while you wait for it to officially arrive. It does take a couple of extra steps, but it’s not difficult by any means. And once it’s installed it does work.
Google hasn’t confirmed whether or not initial supported is limited
While there’s now a general window for the launch on Android TV devices, Google still hasn’t clarified at least one thing with that statement.
It says that Stadia will arrive for the new Chromecast with Google TV in the first half of 2021. But it doesn’t mention whether or not it will only arrive for the new Chromecast at that time.
It would make sense for Google to make the app available on other Android TV devices too. Meaning official support and the ability to download it from the Play Store on those devices. Getting rid of the sideloading requirement.
But for the time being the company hasn’t elaborated on this. So it might be better to temper your expectations until Google decides to share more information. Worst case scenario, you may just have to keep sideloading the app for a while.
Support for Stadia will be coming in the first half of 2021.
— Stadia (@GoogleStadia) September 30, 2020