Google’s Stadia Controller will finally work wirelessly with laptops and desktops starting this week, the company announced today (via Engadget). Since the cloud gaming service’s November launch, the only way you could use your controller wirelessly was if you were playing Stadia on your TV with a Chromecast Ultra. You still can’t use the Stadia Controller wirelessly with an Android phone, though, and it’s not clear when that functionality might arrive.
When used wirelessly, the Stadia controller connects to Google’s servers over Wi-Fi instead of connecting to the device in front of you over Bluetooth, like most other gaming controllers. Google says this helps the controller “deliver precise controls.” If you want to connect your Stadia controller wirelessly, you can follow Google’s support documentation here.
If you want to pick up a Stadia controller, you can buy one for $69 or for $129 as part of the Stadia Premiere Edition bundle, which also includes a Chromecast Ultra and three months of the paid Stadia Pro subscription.