Stadia adds Monster Energy Supercross 3, but it costs more than it does on Steam

News
By published

The motocross racing game launched on Stadia today, and the Joker was added to its version of Mortal Kombat 11.

Monster Enery Supercross gae.
(Image credit: Milestone Srl)

The Stadia streaming game service has been taking some heat recently, arising from the limited selection of games, ongoing absence of features like 4K support and Google Assistant functionality on PC, and a perceived lack of communication about where it's headed next. In January, for instance, it announced that more than 120 new games would be coming to the platform this year, but offered nothing in the way of titles or timelines.

One of those games was revealed in today's This Week on Stadia update as Monster Energy Supercross – The Official Videogame 3, which launched on multiple platforms today. The Monster Energy branding is obnoxious, but apparently it's not a bad game: The PS4 version currently holds a respectable 71 score on Metacritic. (The PC version is still TBD.) Still, I can't shake the feeling that it's a little bit of an underwhelming response to the growing impatience for new games. With discontent on the rise after less than three months of release, Stadia needs some eye-poppers, not a niche-interest branding exercise.

Another issue is the price. Monster Energy Supercross 3 is $60 on Stadia, but only $50 on Steam. There's no indication of any difference in the Stadia edition, aside from the "play anywhere" accessibility of streaming games—it's just more money. 

Most games on Stadia are priced the same as they are on Steam (unfortunately, and inexplicably, Stadia doesn't maintain a store that can be browsed by non-subscribers, but Android Authority has a price list updated to December 26), but there are a few other exceptions: Farming Simulator 19 is $40 on Stadia, for instance, compared to $25 on Steam, and Final Fantasy XV is $40 on Stadia and $35 on Steam. I've reached out to Stadia to inquire about the difference, and will update if I receive a reply.

Stadia also announced today that the Joker is now available in Mortal Kombat 11 on the platform, for $6 on his own or as part of the Kombat Pack, which is on sale for $16 until February 5—a significant discount on the regular $40 price if you can get to it in time.

Stadia's troubles have been well-publicized, and while some teething pains are to be expected when launching a new game service, its not going to have an easier ride anytime soon: Nvidia launched its GeForce Now cloud-based gaming service today, and it looks very promising. 

Andy Chalk
Andy Chalk
US News Lead

Andy has been gaming on PCs from the very beginning, starting as a youngster with text adventures and primitive action games on a cassette-based TRS80. From there he graduated to the glory days of Sierra Online adventures and Microprose sims, ran a local BBS, learned how to build PCs, and developed a longstanding love of RPGs, immersive sims, and shooters. He began writing videogame news in 2007 for The Escapist and somehow managed to avoid getting fired until 2014, when he joined the storied ranks of PC Gamer. He covers all aspects of the industry, from new game announcements and patch notes to legal disputes, Twitch beefs, esports, and Henry Cavill. Lots of Henry Cavill.