Google Stadia, a platform that I enjoyed immensely as my Destiny 2 streaming device, shut down in early 2023. This left fans like me in the lurch, but Google has provided a way for us to make our controllers useful forever. However, time is running out to do so, as we’ve got to do it before the end of 2024.
If you turn on Bluetooth mode for your Stadia controller, you can use it with your computer and fondly remember the time when it was possible to stream games to pretty much any screen with great quality visuals and responsive controls. Even if all you do is dig out your controller now to turn the mode on and forget about it for a few years, you’ll always have the option to use it in the future when you want something less bulky than a wireless Xbox controller.
How to switch your Google Stadia controller to Bluetooth mode
Bluetooth mode allows you to connect your Google Stadia controller to any Bluetooth-enabled device so that it works like any other Bluetooth controller. To switch to Bluetooth mode, you need to visit the official Stadia website and download an update for your controller. Once you’ve downloaded the file, you must apply the update to your controller by connecting it to your computer.
Note that switching your Stadia controller from its standard Wi-Fi Play mode to Bluetooth mode is permanent. You cannot change the controller back once you’ve done it, but that’s sort of the point. The controller will become completely useless if you don’t switch modes.
I really like the design and weight of the Stadia controller. It’s perfect for playing games like Destiny 2 because all the buttons you need are in a much easier-to-use form. It has something to do with the lighter controller, the feel of its plastic and buttons, and the placement of the buttons, making it ideal for when I sit down to play.
When is the deadline to switch your Google Stadia controller to Bluetooth mode?
The deadline for switching your Google Stadia controller to Bluetooth mode is December 31, 2024. At the time of writing, this is a good seven months away, which gives us all plenty of time to think about making the switch before panicking and doing it at the last minute.
While Google Stadia is ultimately a failed project from the tech giant, the controllers are genuinely brilliant. There are multiple reasons Stadia as a service didn’t work, but Google did a great job of designing a controller that looks and feels great and is worth making this switch so you can use it someday. If you own a Founder’s controller, it might even be worth something one day, provided you can still connect it to a computer and play games with it.
