GOOGLE is preparing to shut down an app that means an iconic gadget will no longer work.
The company is giving users until the end of the year – so you'll want to act fast.
It's all linked to Google Stadia, which was a game streaming service that launched to the public in November 2019.
This allowed you to play games over the cloud using the internet and a Stadia joypad, giving you top-graphic titles without needing to own a physical console.
Sadly for gamers, the service was shut down on January 18, 2023, and a special app was release that would convert Stadia joypads into regular Bluetooth controllers.
However, that app will be killed off later this year, meaning Stadia joypads that haven't been converted will become totally useless.
The online tool () lets you switch the Stadia joypad into something called "Bluetooth mode".
That lets you use the joypad with other devices (even your phone) to play games.
But Google is only going to offer this service until the end of the year.
"Switch your Stadia Controller to Bluetooth mode to keep gaming wirelessly on your favorite devices and services after Stadia shuts down," Google explains.
"You can switch to Bluetooth mode, check the controller mode, and check for Bluetooth updates until Dec 31, 2025.
"Once you switch your controller to Bluetooth mode, you can’t change it back to use Wi-Fi on Stadia. You can still play wired with USB in Bluetooth mode."
Google Stadia first launched in closed beta in October 2018.
It would let you play a huge list of games online, with Google servers doing the hard work.
That meant it functioned like Netflix for video games: you'd stream the visuals over the internet, and your joypad movements would be beamed back to Google.
This would all happen in an instant, letting you play games as if you had a console.
It mean that you could play games on a wide range of devices, including TVs, iPhone and Android phones, and laptops – even if they didn't have powerful gaming chips inside.
You'd be able to stream games in 4K resolution at 60 frames per second.
But Stadia faced stiff competition with rival services like Microsoft's Xbox Cloud Gaming, Amazon Luna, Sony's PlayStation Plus, and Nvidia GeForce Now.
Sadly Google decided that Stadia wasn't popular enough with gamers.
Once you've converted the Stadia controller to Bluetooth Mode, you can then pair your joypad using Google's steps below...
"After switching your controller into Bluetooth mode, press and hold the 'Y + Stadia' buttons for 2 seconds to enter pairing mode," Google explained.
"The status light will flash orange.
"Then, go to the device you want to play on and pair your controller in the settings.
"Once paired and connected, the status light on the controller will turn solid white.
"Congrats! You’re ready to start playing.
"The next time you turn on the controller, it should automatically connect to the last paired device."
Picture Credit: Google
On September 29, 2022, Google announced the Stadia would shut down, and then killed it off just three months later.
Google refunded all purchases for the games and hardware, and released a tool to convert the Stadia controllers to regular Bluetooth joypads.
The tool was originally going to be shut down at the end of 2023, but its life has been extended several times.
Now Google says that it's going to be killed off for good on December 31, 2025, so it's important to convert your Stadia joypads before then.
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