Google Stadia fans find workarounds to use controller wirelessly on other platforms

On September 29th, Google made the completely unsurprising announcement that it will be shuttering its Stadia game streaming service in January 2023.

Following that news, the platform’s small-but-dedicated fanbase has been pleading for Google to make Stadia’s controller available wirelessly on other platforms. Currently, Bluetooth connectivity is limited to Stadia itself, and the controller can otherwise only be used elsewhere via a wired connection.

While Google says it’s looking into enabling this through a potential firmware update, Stadia fans have taken matters into their own hands in the meantime. One solution, created by engineer Parth Shah, requires users to install Python 3 onto their PC and download version 1.2.0 of his software from GitHub. From there, follow Shah’s guide to download a ZIP file, which contains a URL that will need to be typed into a browser on the Android device connected to the Stadia controller. However, this method is limited as the controller still requires a wired connection to the Android device.

Alternatively, YouTube creator LateStageTech has an app called Wiredless Pro that lets you connect wired controllers to an Android device, which can then be sent wirelessly to a PC. While this does work with the Stadia controller, the trigger buttons aren’t actually recognized, meaning games that require those inputs are effectively out of the question.

Evidently, neither method is ideal. It remains to be seen if and when Google may come up with an official solution within the next three months.

While there were many shortcomings with Stadia, the controller was generally regarded to be one of its strengths. With a solid Nintendo Switch Pro-esque design, it looked and felt quite good to use. What’s more, it was made in collaboration with Google’s Kitchener-Waterloo team, which is a neat factoid for Canadians.

Via: The Verge