Google Stadia gets PUBG and Octopath Traveler

An unlikely pair of games were released on Google Stadia today: PUBG and Octopath Traveler.

Google revealed the two additions during its latest Stadia Connect stream, which also revealed a big Stadia push from EA that will bring five of the publisher's biggest games to the platform. Both PUBG and Octopath Traveler are now available to purchase and play on Stadia, and PUBG is also included with Stadia Pro, which is still up for a two-month free trial.

PUBG on Stadia does support cross-platform parties and multiplayer, meaning it's already up to date with the other versions of the game. The battle royale shooter recently began its seventh season, which reintroduced the Vikendi map after a total overhaul. Season seven also added rideable trains and the Cold Front Survivor Pass, which is filled with loot and challenges. The $30 base version of PUBG doesn't come with the Cold Front Survivor Pass, but the $40 Pioneer Edition which is included with Stadia Pro does. There's also a $90 Chicken Dinner Edition which comes with some in-game currency and a mess of cosmetic armor sets. 

On the far, far end of the spectrum, you'll find Octopath Traveler, one of the best RPGs of 2018. It's a turn-based JRPG from Square Enix, and many regard it as a sister game to Bravely Default, which will soon receive a true sequel. It starts out as a simple story about eight travelers who join up through strange circumstances while pursuing their own goals, but it soon evolves into a globetrotting adventure which could decide the fate of the world. Its 16-bit art is enlivened by stunning lighting, its music is peak JRPG audio bliss, and like Bravely Default, its battle system is fast and fun. That's two great games - and a rare JRPG - for Stadia, which is always good news.  

F1 2020 was recently confirmed for Stadia.