Google Stadia to Get Touchscreen Controls on Android Soon

In a new APK Insights report, 9to5Google has found code buried in version 3.9 of the Stadia application for Android that points to several new features that may be coming to gamers very soon. To be clear, just because code exists in the application does not point to a definitive release for said features, but rather it simply means that the Stadia team is testing them. Many of these features – like the touch-enabled gamepad – do come to the masses with an official release, but there is no guarantee.

Tech giant Google's cloud gaming service Stadia is testing touchscreen controls on Android, and might roll out a ''direct touch'' feature in it soon.

9to5Google has analysed the latest Stadia release on Android and found multiple references to a "direct touch" feature. Once enabled, direct touch will allow Stadia users to tap, swipe, and pinch elements in games, or continue to use a Bluetooth or USB controller.

However, it is not yet clear which games will support direct touch, though Stadia currently has very limited support for touchscreen controls in games like Monopoly that allow users to toggle a touch mode on. This new direct touch feature has only been discovered in the Android version of Stadia, and will later be rolled over to the Web version for iOS, too.

Google has not officially detailed direct touch for Stadia.

Microsoft's xCloud game streaming service has implemented a variety of touch controls across more than 20 games, allowing Xbox players to enjoy games without a controller.

Google also appears to be readying Android TV support for Stadia. 9to5Google noted that there are explicit references to Android TV in this latest Stadia app update. Stadia launched on Chromecast Ultra devices, but support for Android TV has been missing since Stadia's debut more than a year ago.

March 26, 2021