Google opens its first original game studio in Montreal

The first-party games studio will be led by game industry veteran Jade Raymond.

What you need to know

• Google today announced its very first games studio.
• The Stadia Games and Entertainment studio will develop "exclusive, original content across a diverse portfolio of games."
• There is no word yet on when the studio's first title will be released.

Ahead of the launch of its Stadia game streaming service next month, Google today announced its first original games studio. The new studio, which is part of Google's Stadia Games and Entertainment division, has been opened in Montreal.

Jade Raymond, who will be heading the new studio, wrote in a blog post:

Just as Stadia intends to change the way games are accessed and experienced by players, we want to change the way games are made. That starts with our culture. Stadia is committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace; these diverse perspectives will shape the games we create together. We're committed to building an environment that will empower the developers who work at Stadia to create new, unique gaming experiences.

As per the blog post, Google's first game studio will be producing exclusive, original content across different genres. However, there is no word yet on how long it would take for the studio's first title to be released.

While no first-party title will be available at launch, you will still be able to play several exciting games on Stadia next month. Some of the titles that have already been confirmed include Borderlands 3, Assassin's Creed Odyssey, Red Dead Redemption 2, Destiny 2, Wolfenstein: Youngblood, Cyberpunk 2077, and more.

Stadia Premiere Edition

$129 at Google Store

The Stadia Premiere Edition bundle gets you three free months of Stadia Pro subscription, a Google Chromecast Ultra, and a clearly white Stadia Controller.