Resident Evil Village just gave Google Stadia a lifeline

Resident Evil Village coming to Stadia
(Image credit: Capcom)

Capcom has revealed Resident Evil Village will be coming to Google Stadia on May 7, alongside launching on PS5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S

Given that Google has shuttered first-party development for Stadia, having this anticipated game could give the game streaming service the shot on the arm it needs. 

Google is offering a free Stadia Premiere kit provided that you pre-order either the Standard ($60) or the Deluxe versions ($70) of Resident Evil Village. And with this promotion, you will also get free standard shipping! 

By purchasing Resident Evil Village, you will gain access to Resident Evil Re: Verse, the game's multiplayer beta, as well as the Mr Raccoon Weapon Charm and the Survival Resources Pack.

The Google Stadia Premiere kit includes a classic white Stadia controller and a Chromecast Ultra, as well as a free one-month trial to the Stadia Pro subscription service for new users. With Stadia Pro, you'll be able to stream games in 4K and get access to a whole collection of free games. 

Those new to the Stadia Pro will also and free access to Resident Evil 7: Biohazard Gold Edition starting on April 1. So you'll have plenty of time to refresh your memory on the main character's previous adventures with the Baker family prior to the grand launch of the new game. 

This isn't the first time Google offered this kind of promotion, though. The company ran a similar offer to anyone who pre-ordered Cyberpunk 2077, also throwing in free hardware and free trials. 

However, this time, the Resident Evil Village promotion looks like a serious attempt to save Google's cloud gaming service. With Google's internal game development now dead, Google-made Stadia games are now officially off the table; arguably, this approach was never going to work

But Stadia could find a new lease of life as a game streaming platform for major third-party games, providing Google offer compelling prices and attractive bundles for Stadia. Time will tell if that happens. 

Denise Primbet
News Writer

Denise is a Life Reporter at Newsweek, covering everything lifestyle-related, including health, relationships, personal finance, beauty and more. She was formerly a news writer at Tom’s Guide, regularly producing stories on all things tech, gaming software/hardware, fitness, streaming, and more. Her published content ranges from short-form news articles to long-form pieces, including reviews, buying guides, how-tos, and features. When she's not playing horror games, she can be found exploring East London with her adorable puppy. She’s also a part-time piano enthusiast and regularly experiments in the kitchen.