Google Confirms All the Stadia Features That Will Be Missing at Launch

Google Stadia is releasing next week, and it seems like nobody is talking about it. And maybe that's by design, because what Google will be offering at launch is pretty underwhelming. When Google Stadia releases on November 19, it will come with one game: Destiny 2. Meanwhile, owners will only have the option of buying another 11, three of which are Tomb Raider games (full launch lineup can be found here). That said, a measly launch lineup isn't the only blemish on Stadia's launch. It will be missing a lot of its features that won't be available until next year.

In fact, a lot of the features Google talked up around the Stadia's reveal won't even be present at launch, which makes you wonder: why is Google rushing this to the market? During a recent Reddit AMA, Google confirmed the following slab of features won't be available at launch next week:

• Stream Connect -- not arriving until next year.
• State Share -- not arriving until next year.
• Crowd Play -- not arriving until next year.
• Family Sharing -- "high priority," but not coming until early next year.
• Buddy Pass -- Founders Editions of Stadia come with a Buddy Pass that allows you to give someone a three month subscription to Stadia. These won't be rolled out until two weeks after launch.
• Achievement System -- coming "shortly after launch."
• The controller -- Some controllers will be available at launch, others may take a few days to arrive. Maybe more.

There's more, but these are the most notable exclusions. And you get the point: the Stadia, a feature-light gaming platform will be missing some of its biggest features right at launch. And on top of this, it will only have 12 games to play, and only one of them is new and exclusive to Stadia. The rest you've probably already played.

It's not a good start for the new gaming platform, but it seems Google has big plans for 2020. That said, I still don't get why this is releasing next week, with missing features and such a tiny offering of games, all of which you have to buy, minus Destiny 2.

For more news, media, and information on the Stadia, be sure to peep our past and recent coverage of the gaming platform by clicking right here.

Thanks, Kotaku.