Google Stadia has started rolling out a new Party Stream feature that will let you stream to a close-knit group of friends.
The new feature allows Google Stadia subscribers to stream their gameplay with up to nine of their friends, the tech giant confirmed on Twitter (opens in a new tab). Additionally, Google has gotten better at allowing stream members to switch from viewer to player on the fly.
This means you can jump into the game your friend is streaming at any time. Do you want to help them complete a Strike mission in Destiny 2? As long as you're a Stadia subscriber and on the same Party Stream as the broadcaster, you can do this.
And fear not if you don't already have access to the new Party Stream feature. Google is rolling out the feature to all Stadia owners as we speak, and it should be updated by the end of the week.
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On paper, Google Stadia's Party Stream feature isn't exactly groundbreaking. The popular messaging app Discord has had similar streaming functionality for years. However, Discord's streaming tools simply allow users to capture their selected window for those on call. By comparison, Party Stream on Google Stadia is a significantly more advanced implementation.
For example, Party Stream supports most of Stadia's chat features, including emoji and voice reactions that will appear on screen. Streamers will also get screen pops whenever a friend joins the stream for the first time. This means you won't have to look in your broadcast window to keep tabs on who's joined.
I'm also a big fan of the ability for viewers to join a streaming game on the go. This makes sense, given that all subscribers have access to the same Stadia library. But it's a welcome quality of life feature that fits well with the nature of most of the best co-op games.
Realistically, Party Stream probably won't set the world on fire. And if you're not already a Stadia fan, this probably won't change your mind. Still, it seems like a fun and convenient way to stream and play the best Google Stadia games with a close-knit group of friends.