How to Enable Touch Controls for Stadia Games on Android
One of the most mysterious failures of Google’s game streaming service, Stadia, is its strict controller requirements. Stadia games can only be played with an official Stadia controller, which must be connected via USB to function, even on portable devices such as Android phones. This undermined the service’s viability as a portable gaming service.
Google said these requirements will change and that other controller options will be supported in the future, but thanks to Reddit user SmashShock, you don’t have to wait for the company to make it easier to play Stadia on your phone. SmashShock, aptly named TouchStadia, allows touchscreen control on both Android and desktop PCs, allowing you to play Stadia games without a controller attached at all .
How to install and use TouchStadia
Chrome desktop users can simply install the TouchStadia Chrome extension , but Android users will need to follow these steps every time they want to use touch in Stadia:
- Open thelink for the TouchStadia code .
- Select and copy all the text in the box. The official TouchStadia instructions on GitHub suggest to always copy / paste the link, as any code updates will be added there first.
- Open Stadia in Chrome, then click the Hamburger menu icon in the upper right corner and select Site for PC.
- In the same browser tab, tap on the URL bar and enter
javascript:then paste the code you copied from the link above, right after the colon without spaces. - Press “Enter” to run the code. You should see a notification that the controller is connected.
- You can now control your games using the on-screen buttons. The default layout reflects the layout of the Stadia controller, although Chrome desktop users can press CTRL +; to activate the edit mode and move the buttons as you like.
Despite the official demo footage showing how TouchStadia works in Destiny 2 , I suggest using touch controls for games that do not require such high fidelity. Anyone who has played touchscreen phone games knows that it is finicky and less responsive than playing with a physical controller. That said, being able to play Stadia without that cumbersome USB setup – even if it’s less responsive – is better than not having it at all.