Stadia can be a tough sell for a lot of gamers. The library is still maturing, there’s always the fear of connection issues getting in the way of gameplay, and plenty of people are just going to be more comfortable going with a gaming solution from a company with more history in the field. But for those who do give it a shot, there can be a lot to like, and for me, Stadia really became something I was excited about last fall with the release of Far Cry 5. And now if you’re a Pro user, you can see what I’m talking about this weekend, with the game free to play through Monday.
Honestly, if you have Stadia Pro, you’ve done yourself a disservice if you haven’t picked up Far Cry 5 (and New Dawn, to boot) already. Hell, they were such a good deal when they first landed that I signed up for Stadia Pro just to get the discount (which worked out being more than Pro itself cost).
But honestly, I envy anyone going in just now to get your first taste, because you are in for a treat. Sure, the title’s getting a little old (we’ve got Far Cry 6 right around the corner), and you won’t get any fancy 60fps performance, but it’s just so much fun.
When given the option, always pet bears. That’s just good life advice.
You’re dropped in Hope County, a fully realized pocket of the American West, and like so many other Far Cry games begin, the local situation’s just a bit … not good. The early game can actually be a little punishing, but there’s an enormous sense of accomplishment as you start collecting resources, exploring the world, and equipping yourself for survival. A word of advice: hunt early, and hunt often.
There’s way more to do than you’ll have a chance to even remotely check out before this free weekend’s over on August 9, but that’s one of the great things about Stadia: even if you forget about FC5 for a while, if you decide to buy it the next time a great sale comes around, all your saves and progress will be waiting for you.
Just don’t be surprised if you sit down this evening and suddenly find yourself in a daze on Monday morning, wondering where the weekend went.
Spending the weekend in Hope County, what could possibly go wrong?
Get ready to take on a doomsday cult. Far Cry 5 is free to play from now through Monday with Stadia Pro! https://t.co/vUmKRFBwlS pic.twitter.com/mBD78CVryY
— Stadia (@GoogleStadia) August 5, 2021
