Gamers have another reason to consider signing up for the high-speed version of Verizon's Fios internet, TV and telephony bundle. Starting next week, Verizon says it will include a Google Stadia Premiere Edition package to new Verizon Fios Gigabit customers.
The deal, which launches next Wednesday (Jan. 29), includes a three-month Stadia Pro subscription along with a Stadia controller and Chromecast Ultra for playing games on a TV. The Stadia Pro tier in up to 4K/60 frame-per-second resolution.
The controller and Chromecast come with the Stadia Premier Edition when you sign up for the streaming gaming service through Google. But it also costs $129 (though you do get a copy of Destiny 2 for your troubles). So Verizon's Fios deal offers a way to save on Google's streaming game service.
After your free three months of Stadia Pro, you'll need to pay $9.99 per month to keep playing Stadia games over Wi-Fi, whether you're at home or on the go.
We had a mixed reaction to Google's subscription gaming service when we reviewed Google Stadia. On the one hand, we were impressed at the ability to stream big-budget games, and we found that Stadia is compatible with all controllers and most displays. But performance wasn't always stable in those early days and the initial lineup of games is kind of underwhelming. It remains a work in progress, though if Stadia piques your interest, Verizon's providing a way to try the service while getting home internet as part of the bargain.
You'll need to opt for Gigabit service with Verizon Fios to qualify for the Google Stadia Premiere Edition bundle — lower-priced packages aren't eligible. Fios gigabit starts at $79.99 a month and the newly introduced Mix & Match feature lets you chose your TV package based on the channels you actually want to watch. (Mix & Match on Fios subscribers also get a new Fios home router that supports the Wi-Fi 6 standard for faster speeds and better device management.)
Bargain hunters will be especially pleased that Verizon's Stadia offer can be stacked with another deal for Verizon Fios customers. People who sign up for Verizon's service can get a year of the Disney+ streaming video service for free, saving themselves the $6.99-a-month charge for Disney's on-demand library of movies, shows and animated classics.
