This would have given enthusiasts a lot less to hate about Stadia. It would have given customers a lot more confidence in the long-term viability of their purchases. It would have highlighted the flexibility offered by Google's streaming platform without making putting up with its drawbacks a requirement to enjoy your games. A player could start out only streaming their games, then upgrade to a real PC down the road to get an even better gameplay experience out of their existing library.

For many enthusiasts, the product Google actually launched felt like an existential threat to their hobby. They feared games could go streaming exclusive. Publishers could use it as a form of extra draconian DRM, or start designing their games around the limitations of streaming. As a result this turned many of the biggest gaming enthusiasts, the people casual players will often ask for advice on what to buy, into ant-Stadia evangelists.