Google Stadia keep moving at your own pace. And it seems that Google's streaming game service seems to be in no hurry to add new features that they promised during their presentation. Despite, even, that proposals such as Amazon Luna or Microsoft's xCloud arrive stomping. Now comes the tandem mode and that's how it works.
What is Google Stadia tandem mode?
Tandem mode is a new feature that the company itself had already announced would be available on Google Stadia, but it didn't arrive until almost a year after the service was launched.
This experimental function consists of allowing the user of the service the power connect other commercially available game controllers with Google Stadia. For example, to be able to use this way two of the most popular and valued controllers among gamers around the world: Xbox and PS4. But wait, wasn't it already possible to use these controllers with Stadia?
Yes and no, until now you could use Xbox and PS4 controllers with Google Stadia as long as you ran the service on a mobile device or computer. However, if you accessed through the television via the Premiere Edition package, consisting of a Google Chromecast Ultra and the official controller, you could not connect any other controller.
Now this is over and they will allow you to use other controls, something that you will see later makes a lot of sense and may be a before and after for some Google Stadia users. Of course, that does not mean that the way it works is somewhat strange, although understandable. Because the official Stadia controller will be the one that acts as a bridge between the new gamepad and the service.
How to use Stadia's tandem mode
To use the Google Stadia tandem mode, all you have to do is have a compatible controller and that is linked to the television or screen where you want to use it through a Chromecast Ultra if it does not have official support. Once this is done, the steps to follow are the following:
- Turn on your main Google Stadia controller
- Check that it is correctly linked to the screen
- Now, confirm that the secondary controller you want to use is charged and turned off.
- Connect the new controller to the Stadia via a USB cable
The only thing you have to keep in mind is that, in case of using a USB A to USB C adapter, it must be on the side of the Stadia controller. And again, remember that the secondary controller must be turned off before connecting it to the main one with which you use Stadia.
Controllers compatible with Stadia tandem mode
Regarding the compatible controllers, any with a Bluetooth connection that are already compatible with the respective Xbox or PS4 are not worth it. The list of those that are supported by the Stadia tandem mode are:
| secondary command | Vendor ID:Product ID |
|---|---|
| Stadia controller | 18d1:9400 |
| Xbox Adaptive Controller | 045e:0b0a |
| Xbox One Controller | 045e:02d1 045e:02dd 045e:02ea |
| Xbox One Elite Controller (Series 1 and 2) | 045e:02e3 045e:0b00 |
| Sony DualShock 4 Controller | 054c:05c4 054c:09cc |
The utility of tandem mode
At this point, knowing that if you run Google Stadia on a computer or mobile device you can already use other controls that are not the official one, what is this tandem mode really for. Well, basically and its main purpose is improve accessibility options from service.
This means that you can use other controllers that allow you to play in a different way than usual or through an accessory that is only compatible with that controller. Here the clearest example is the Xbox Adaptive Controller. Although Stadia's tandem mode also allows the use of two controllers at the same time, so that another user can help you or you can help whoever is playing.
They are, as we say, options that improve gameplay and that accessibility that is so important to many players. Therefore, although it may not seem like it to you, the new tandem mode is an important and interesting improvement to the service.