Google Stadia adds direct touch controls for games on iOS

Stadia Touch Gestures
Stadia Touch Gestures (Image credit: Sega)

What you need to know

  • Stadia now supports direct touch controls when playing games on iOS devices after it initially launched for Android last August.
  • The only game to currently include the feature is strategy game Humankind.
  • Stadia Pro subscribers can play Borderlands 3 at no additional cost this weekend only.

Google announced today that it has added direct touch controls when playing Stadia games on iOS alongside a free play weekend, a new addition to the store, and more.

Direct touch controls allowed Stadia players to use more intuitive controls when playing on a touchscreen instead of using a virtual gamepad. For example, players could use a finger to tap, hold, drag, or use multiple fingers for specific actions that would replace tapping buttons.

The feature was added to Android devices last August, and Sega and Amplitude Studios' 4X strategy game Humankind is still the only game to support the feature.

Google also announced in its blog post that Stadia Pro subscribers will be able to play Borderlands 3 at no additional cost this weekend only. The free weekend starts on Thursday, Oct. 14 and ends on Monday, Oct. 18.

Finally, 3D action-adventure game Ben 10: Power Trip will be coming to the Stadia store on October 15 for $30 and Destiny 2, one of the best Stadia games, kicked off its Festival of the Lost event today with the new Jurassic Green Pulse Rifle and dino-themed cosmetics to earn.

Stadia Play And Watch

Play and Watch with Google TV Package

Play and Watch with Google TV Package is the latest bundle that contains the Chromecast with Google TV and a Stadia controller to easily get into playing Stadia games on the television.

Thomas J Meyer

Thomas Meyer fell in love with video games starting in the mid '90s with a NES, Super Mario Bros., Duck Hunt, and Jack Nicklaus' Greatest 18 Holes of Major Championship Golf. He hasn't stopped and is not planning to anytime soon. Freelance for Android Central and Windows Central.